"Matlock, Dovedale and the Peak": Jane Austen's Derbyshire

 

"She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste."
Pride and Prejudice

     Jane Austen must have been familiar with the sights of Derbyshire – "The Peaks" or the Peak District, as it is also called – when she wrote Pride and Prejudice, or Elizabeth Bennet would not have had anything to talk about during the awkward silences while she and Mr. Darcy tried having a conversation at Pemberley.

     Next time I go to England I would love to really explore this place, home to so many unforgettable scenes in the book and movie versions of Pride and Prejudice. It also abounds in majestic scenery made up of mountains, rocks and lush green hills that can be seen on any number of walks and hikes (for the more adventurous). From her letters and novels we know Jane Austen loved the country, and, in choosing Derbyshire to be the setting for an estate that represented what an elegant and tasteful home should be, she seemed to think rather highly of this particular county.

"Wildness and artifice, and all in the one perfect county."

      So where are these places, exactly? Well, Derbyshire county itself is about 150 miles north of London, just over halfway between London and the Scottish border. The county is 2,625 kilometers in size, and it's larger towns include Derby, Matlock, and Buxton.

Dovedale, one of the sights that Lizzy and the Gardiners visited, is renowned for its beauty and particularly abounds in walks (which would explain why Lizzy enjoys it so much).
Here is a website with more information: www.visitpeakdistrict.com

Thorpe Cloud at Dovedale
Source: Wikipedia, Rob Bendall

I don't know what "the peak" is that Jane is referring to, but there are other amazing rock formations that one sees in both movies.

There are the "Ramshaw Rocks" found in "The Roaches" which are featured in the 1995 BBC version. (www.peakdistrictinformation.com)

"Elizabeth, be careful! How could I face your father if you took a fall?"

And of course there is the unforgettable shot of Elizabeth standing on "Stanage Edge" in the 2005 Joe Wright adaptation. That scene with its majestic, swelling music gets me every time! (stanageedge.co.uk)

I just want to stand there and pretend to be Lizzy!

Of course, there are those iconic houses, which both are very appropriately located in or near Derbyshire.

There is Lyme Park, used in BBC's 1995 adaptation, located in Disley, not too far from Manchester. It's accessible by train, and there is a lovely shuttle that drives visitors from the entrance to the Park up to the house. There is also a car park for those lucky enough to be driving one around the country.

The house is open from 11:00 - 5:00 every day except Wednesdays and Thursdays (but including Thursdays from July 25 - September 4 ); the Gardens are open every day. The standard price to see both is £9.90.

Check out nationaltrust.org.uk/lyme for more information.

The beautiful grounds of Pemberley.

Chatsworth House is now one of the most famous houses in Britain, thanks to 'Pride and Prejudice' films! Of course, it was famous before that, but some of us had never noticed it until it showed up in a Jane Austen movie. It has been said that this house was actually the inspiration for Pemberley, and it may in part have been. But I've also heard that it is just a bit too grand even for Mr. Darcy. Either way, Jane certainly knew of it, possibly visited it herself, and one will hardly see a more happily situated house anywhere.

The House and gardens are open from March 19 - November 4 this year from 11:00 - 5:00 (10:30 from May 28 - September 4), and admission to both is £20.

For more prices and times see: www.chatsworth.org

The iconic Chatsworth.

I've created a Google map of all these places, just to give an idea of where they are in location to each other and the county.

A Derbyshire map, courtesy of Google.

One day I hope we shall all be so fortunate as to be able to see the "beautiful grounds at Pemberley"!
(Which ever one it happens to be...)


© 2016 Anna Morton