THE EXQUISITE WORLD OF ELIZABETH BENNET: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 2005

Back in 2013, I did a piece about Lyme Park in Cheshire, which was where the famous ‘lake scene’ was filmed for the 1995 TV production of Pride and Prejudice, with Colin Firth as Mr Darcy emerging from the lake with diaphanous wet-through clothing.  This Christmas TV viewers have had the opportunity to see the 2005 film of this classic tale by Jane Austen, starring Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr Darcy.

The action kicks off with Elizabeth strolling towards the Bennet family home, Longbourn.  This scene was filmed at Groombridge Place, a moated manor house near Tunbridge Wells, Kent.  Inside the home, the family are discussing the new occupant of nearby Netherfield Park, Mr Bingley.  Later on the Bennets pay a visit to Netherfield, and as they depart we catch sight of its imposing exterior.  The real-life property standing in for Netherfield is Basildon Park, Berkshire. 

Basildon Park (4739480359). Photo by Jim Bowen, via Wikimedia Commons.

There are a number of scenes involving the local village of Meryton, including the one in which soldiers arriving in the area go marching down the street, to the delight of the  young women of the village.  These scenes were filmed in the picturesque market town of Stamford, Lincolnshire.  During the filming horses used as part of the marching scene were seen outside the Arts Centre, while the churchyard in the square was filled with sheep. .Near Stamford is another imposing property, Burghley House, which is used in the film for Rosings Park, home of the de Bourgh family.  Anne de Bourgh is expected to marry Darcy.

The clergyman Mr. Collins, a distant cousin of Mr. Bennett who has designs on Elizabeth, lives in a vicarage which in real life is in the village of Weekley in Northamptonshire.  Haddon Hall near Bakewell in Derbyshire also puts in an appearance, with the banqueting hall acting as the interior of the Inn at Lambton. 

Naturally, the most imposing property of all in the story is Pemberley, the home of Mr Darcy.  The Chatsworth estate in Derbyshire is used for Pemberley in the 2005 film.  This is not the first time Chatsworth has played the role of Pemberley.  The TV drama Death Comes To Pemberley, aired in ...., also made use of Chatsworth.  Meanwhile, Pemberley’s drawing room was filmed at Wilton House near Salisbury.

Chatsworth House, Derbyshire - geograph.org.uk - 2481560. Photo by Christine Matthews, via Wikimedia Commons.

Finally, there are a couple of outside scenes of note.  The scene which has Elizabeth standing on a precipice was filmed at Stanage Edge in Derbyshire.  Meanwhile, way down to the south, the stunning gardens of Stourhead in Wiltshire feature in the scene in which, in pouring rain, Mr Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth and is sharply rebuffed.  This scene takes place at a folly in the grounds known as the Temple of Apollo.

Stourhead Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 32663. Photo by Nigel Freeman, via Wikimedia Commons.

Groombridge Place is currently closed for renovation so cannot be visited by the public.  Basildon Park, an 18th century estate near the River Thames between Reading and Goring, is run by the National Trust and is open to visitors year round.  Burghley House is currently closed for the winter, but is due to reopen in March 2024.  Haddon Hall is open daily during the main season, and on selected dates in November and December.  Chatsworth House and its park are open year round, and is especially appealilng in the run up to Christmas.  

Stanage Edge lies in the Peak District, a couple of miles north of Hathersage, and is a gritstone escarpment popular with climbers.  The Temple of Apollo in Stourhead Gardens is a fine example of classical buildings known as 'follies' which were erected in the estates of the landed gentry of times gone by.  The gardens are run by the National Trust and are open year round.

 

A LADY ADRIFT IN LINCOLNSHIRE: KATHERINE BY ANYA SETON

 Katherine by the late American author Anya Seton tells the true story of a young woman born in France as Katherine de Roet whose gradual ascent up the ranks of society leads to her marriage to John of Gaunt, by which she becomes the Duchess of Lancaster.  The first half of the book covers her first reluctant marriage to the knight Sir Hugh Swynford, who has a manor in Lincolnshire.  Swynford takes Katherine off to live at the manor, which is in the tiny hamlet of Kettlethorpe, to the north-west of Lincoln.  Katherine struggles to come to terms with her new life in these rather austere surroundings, but while Sir Hugh is away fighting, her depressing existence is briefly alleviated when she is invited to spend Christmas at Bolingbroke Castle at the invitation of Blanche of Lancaster (John of Gaunt’s first wife) , for whom she develops a deep affection.  Unfortunately, things at Bolingbroke later take a tragic turn for the worse when the black death reaches the area.

Bolingbroke village and castle site, aerial 2014 - geograph.org.uk - 4058087. Photo by Chris, via Wikimedia Commons.

There is a none too flattering description of Kettlethorpe in the early part of the book, describing its geographical location and the fact that it owed feudal dues to the Bishop of Lincoln.  It is described as not very productive, with the soil only suitable for “the growth of hay, flax and hemp and such-like” and “most of the land being in virgin forest for the pleasure of its lords.”  By contrast, Bolingbroke is described as “a small fair castle set in meadowlands and encircled by the protecting wolds”, with “a gay and welcoming look”.  In Chapter XII Katherine rides into Lincoln with her faithful servant Hawise, who declares “Folk here must be goats!” – this undoubtedly being a reference to the aptly named Steep Hill, which leads to the upper part of the city.  The bustle of the city occasioned by the fact that it is market day meets with Hawise’s approval, and she describes it as “a deal better than those dreary fens”. 

Lincoln Steep Hill Cropped. Photo by Russell J Smith, via Wikimedia Commons.

A glance at the present-day Kettlethorpe on the map reveals that there is precious little there other than the Church of St Peter and St Paul and the Village Hall.  Kettlethorpe Hall is a Georgian property, but it stands on the site of the Swynford manor.  There is little left of Boliingbroke Castle, which is now managed by English Heritage and lies about 15 miles inland from Skegness, but the original outline can be clearly seen from the shape of the remaining foundations, and there is still water in the surrounding moat, a fact which English Heritage is at pains to warn visitors.  Entry to the castle is free.  Lincoln is one of England’s classic cathedral cities.  The cathedral and the nearby castle are both in the upper part of the city, making for an impressive sight from afar.  The city is known for its Christmas market.  Down below, boat trips are available on the city’s Roman canal, the Fossdyke.

Gateway at Kettlethorpe Hall - geograph.org.uk - 2577084. Photo by Jonathan Thacker, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of Lincolnshire.

DALLIANCES IN DORSET: EMMA (1996)

 

One thing is guaranteed when it comes to film adaptations of Jane Austen novels: that they will be a feast for the eyes.  Not only for the dashing young men with their flowing locks and sexy boots, and the English roses with heaving bosoms vying for their attention, but also for the idyllic English town and country scenes, which invariably include a range of stately homes.  The 1996 film Emma, starring Gwyneth Paltrow as compulsive matchmaker Emma and Toni Collette as friend Harriet Smith, is no exception, with a variety of charming locations mainly in Dorset.

The first big property to feature in the film is Hartfield, home of Emma Woodhouse and her family, where Emma is seen discussing a wedding with her father.  The location used as the exterior of Hartfield is mostly Came House in the village of Winterbourne Came, Dorset.  However, some of the interior scenes were filmed entirely elsewhere.  The dinner party scene in which Emma introduces Mr Elton (Alan Cumming) to Harriet was filmed at Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire, while Hartfield’s book-lined gallery was filmed in the Long Gallery of Syon House, west London.

Came House (2) - geograph.org.uk - 855736. Photo by Mike Searle, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Another imposing property in Dorset used in the filming of Emma is Crichel House near the village of Moor Crichel, to the north of Wimborne.  In the film the property plays the part of Donwell Abbey, home of a local landowner called George Knightley.  A lake on the estate features in a lakeside archery scene.  Meanwhile, another property, Claydon House in Middle Claydon near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, lends its elaborate North Hall for the filming of the grand dance, in which Harriet is snubbed but subsequently rescued by Knightley.  Another local man made good, Mr Weston, who married Emma’s former governess (played by Greta Scacchi) occupies a grand property called Randalls.  This honey-coloured property in real life is Mapperton, home of the Earl and Duchess of Sandwich, which is located a short distance to the east of Beaminster, Dorset.

Mapperton House - geograph.org.uk - 517671. Photo by Chris Downer, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Aside from the sumptuous residences seen in the film, there are picturesque street scenes depicting the local village Highbury (Surrey), where Mr Elton is the vicar.  The street scenes used in the film were filmed in the Dorset village of Evershot, about 7 miles south of Yeovil.  The Old Manor House in the village is used as the schoolhouse, while the post office building is used for the haberdashery store.  In order to make the street scenes more authentic for the period, the main street, Fore Street,  was festooned with sheep pens and straw for the filming.  The filming is transferred to the neighbouring county of Somerset for the scene in which Emma visits a sick lady, Mrs Clark.  The venue for this scene is the Helyar Almshouses in the village of East Coker about 3 miles south of Yeovil.

Evershot, Tess Cottage and the church - geograph.org.uk - 447131. Photo by Chris Downer, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Came House was built for John Damer in 1754 from a handsome light-coloured stone.  Lying about a mile south-east of Dorchester, nowadays the house is, appropriately enough, used as a wedding venue.  Stratfield Saye House in Hampshire, about 5 miles south of Reading, has been home to the Dukes of Wellington since 1817 and is open for pre-booked tours only.  Syon House, across the River Thames from Kew Gardens, has been used extensively in filming.  Forming part of Syon Park, the house has been the home of the Dukes of Northumberland for over 400 years.  The house and gardens are open to the public, with a mix of guided and self-guided tours of the house.

Crichel House is a Classical Revival country house built for the Napier family.  The property and grounds are not open to the public apart from specific events.  Claydon House is a National Trust property and is open to the public from April.  The North Hall is a riot of rococo in yellow and white.  Mapperton House originates from the 11^th century, but a Tudor manor house was built on the site by Robert Morgan in the 1540s, and rebuilt the following century by Richard Brodrepp.  The property is now the  home of the Earl and Duchess of Sandwich. The Gardens and cafe are open from March, and the house from April.

Evershot is the second highest village in Dorset and the source of the River Frome.  The village featured heavily in Thomas Hardy’s works, most notably Tess of the D’Urbervilles.  East Coker lies over the county border in Somerset, and has a history stretching back to Roman times: a Roman villa was discovered there in the 18^th century.  The Helyar Almshouses were built in the mid-17^th century by the Archdeacon of Barnstaple.  The construction took twenty years due to an enforced interruption brought about by the Great Plague.

 

THE HEAVENLY HAUNT OF A LINCOLNSHIRE LAD: GUNBY HALL

The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson was born in 1809 in the village of Somersby in Lincolnshire.  Many of the lines in his work were inspired by the local landscape, for example it was a small stream in the vicinity that formed the basis of The Babbling Brook.  He also made frequent references to the woods in the area – “The silent woody places”. 



Being a member of the aristocracy, Tennyson had friends in high places in the locality.  One of them was Algernon Massingberd, the son of a local squire residing at Gunby Hall, a few miles from Somersby.  Tennyson, who by all accounts had a sad family life as well as losing his closest friend at a young age, paid regular visits to the hall, and must have found great solace there.  The hall is now the property of the National Trust, and visitors to the hall may notice a small framed picture above the fireplace in  one of the rooms.  The picture includes a few short lines describing the hall, and it is signed by Tennyson.  

Gunby Hall from the west.  Photo by DeFacto, via Wikimedia Commons.

The line forms part of Tennyson’s poem “The Palace of Art”, in which he imagines an art collection in a palace and its gardens constructed by a man who converses with his soul.  One of the pieces in the collection is described thus:



                            And one, an English home – gray twilight pour’d

                            On dewy pastures, dewy trees,

                            Softer than sleep – all things in order stored,

                            A haunt of ancient Peace



This is the verse reproduced in the picture above the fireplace, and it is widely thought to have been inspired by Gunby Hall. 



Another of Tennyson’s most famous poems, Maud, in which Maud is urged to “come into the garden”, makes references to the “musk of the rose”.  This was also probably inspired by the gardens of Gunby Hall, and there are still musk roses growing there today.  Another poem which may well have been inspired by the gardens of Gunby Hall is “The Gardener’s Daughter”. 



The gardens have changed a bit since Tennyson frequented them, but some features remaining would have been there at that time, such as the pigeon house and the garden seat against the west wall.  As for the plants, there is a cedar of Lebanon which was planted in 1812 by Algernon’s father.

Cedar of Lebanon Gunby Hall gardens - geograph.org.uk - 1352099. Photo by Paul Gray, via Wikimedia Commons.

Gunby Hall is a few miles inland from Skegness, at the south-east edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds AONB.  In normal times (not currently, obviously), the hall, estate and gardens are open to visitors, who can visit three floors of rooms full of collections dating from 1700, as well as the eight acres of gardens.

Map of the area.

THE DA VINCI CODE: THE LINCOLNSHIRE CONNECTION

The Da Vinci Code, based on the novel by Dan Brown and starring Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon, divides its time between France and the UK, with a little bit of Malta thrown in.  The UK scenes are divided between England and Scotland, with the county of Lincolnshire providing some of the key moments.  Hanks and his co-stars Sir Ian McKellen and Audrey Tautou all stayed in Lincoln during the shoot, which took place in 2005.  I once visited Lincoln with my husband, where we went on an excellent ghost tour.  According to the tour guide Tom Hanks came on the same tour while there, which must have provided a suitably creepy real-life diversion from the events of the film.

Lincoln Cathedral was chosen as a stand-in for Westminster Abbey in the film, as the real Westminster Abbey denied permission to film on religious grounds.  The production team went to the trouble of creating a model of the tomb of Isaac Newton, who happens to hail from nearby Grantham, to replicate the real one in London.  Incidentally, the cathedral was also used to portray Westminster Abbey in the film The Young Victoria.  The cathedral gained some much needed extra revenue as a result of its role in The Da Vinci Code, both from the increase in visitor numbers and the money paid for its use in the film, and because paintings and statues used in the film were auctioned to raise money for the cathedral.  The 900-year old building costs several million pounds a year to run, so the money was much needed.

Lincoln Cathedral from Broadgate footbridge - geograph.org.uk - 281923. Photo by Richard Croft, via Wikimedia Commons

Another Lincolnshire location used in the filming was the magnificent Burghley House near the attractive market town of Stamford.  The house was used to portray a French chateau in some of the scenes, with the stable courtyard being transformed into a 14^th-century French village.  Meanwhile, the interiors with their Italian-style furnishings were used as a stand-in for the inside of the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo in the town of the same name near Rome.  The garage scene at Chateau Villette, where the police chase took place was also filmed at the property.  Burghley House is generally regarded as England’s greatest Elizabethan house, and it includes eighteen State Rooms and a huge art collection including one of the most important private collections of 17^th century Italian paintings.

Burghley house U.K. Photo by Sreejith K, via Wikimedia Commons

Map of Lincoln.

Map of Burghley House.