Today is the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s “own darling child”, the iconic novel Pride and Prejudice. To celebrate I thought we might go in search of Mr. Darcy’s home, Pemberley. Why not? Maybe if we’re lucky we’ll find Colin Firth or Matthew MacFayden inside!
Of course Pemberley was a fictional home in Miss Austen’s imagination but the house has been depicted several times on film. Let’s explore some of these locations:
Lyme Park played the role of Pemberley in probably the most popular version of Pride and Prejudice on film, the 1995 TV serial with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. Located in Cheshire in the Peak District, the house dates back to the late 16th century while the estate itself passed to the Leghs of Lyme in 1388 thru marriage. Now managed by the National Trust, the estate also includes formal gardens and a deer park which are open to the public, along with the house of course. Learn more about Lyme Park by visiting its website.
One of my favourite homes, Chatsworth, was chosen as the site for Pemberley in my favourite version of Pride and Prejudice, the 1995 film version starring Keira Knightly and Matthew MacFayden as Mr. Darcy. This beautiful home and its breathtaking estate is located in the Peak District in Derbyshire and is the home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire; however, its most famous resident was Mary Queen of Scots who was held here during her confinement by Queen Elizabeth I.
Chatsworth and its gardens were first constructed in 1555 by Sir William Cavendish and Bess of Hardwick. The gardens themselves cover 105 acres and attract over 300,000 visitors a year. Learn more about lovely Chatsworth by visiting its website.
Renishaw Hall in Derbyshire played Pemberley in the 1980 TV serial of Pride and Prejudice, starring Elizabeth Garvie as Elizabeth Bennet and David Rintoul as Mr. Darcy. Built in 1625 by George Stillwell, the gardens are open to the public while tours of the home must be booked privately. Visit the Renishaw Hall website for more details.
Harewood House (pronounced Harwood) was built in the mid-18th century for the 1st Baron of Harewood and used as the location for Pemberley in the fantasy adaptation of Pride and Prejudice called Lost in Austen. This stunning home, located in the heart of Yorkshire was designed by architects John Carr and Robert Adam and along with Chatsworth, is one of the Treasure Houses of England.
Harewood House’s Bird Garden has over 90 species of endangered birds and is open to visitors. Learn more about Harewood House by visiting its website.
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My favourite movie, and Chatsworth was a dream to visit last year! Stopped at Chesterfield en route, and visited the most extraordinary, whimsical church with a funky crooked spire! Fab!
My vote goes to Renishaw Hall and the Elizabeth Garvie/David Rintoul version of P&P. I love Colin Firth, but didn’t like the actress who played Elizabeth. As to the Keira Knightly version, it was a great movie but I don’t think Jane would have approved — too much sensibility and not enough sense! Keira’s a very dramatic actress, would have been perfect for Marianne Dashwood :-)