Sixth in a Series
Jane Austen is one of England’s most celebrated authors, and 2013 marks the 200th anniversary her most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice. It was first published in 1813. VisitEngland has compiled a list of the locations that featured in the lives of Jane Austen and the characters in her novels so that readers can follow in their footsteps. Today, we look at The Rutland Arms in Bakewell and Chatsworth House in Derbyshire – both in England.
Jane Austen Slept Here
Many scenes and settings in Jane Austen’s novels were based on real-life locations. The Derbyshire town of Bakewell is considered to be the inspiration behind Lambton.
It is believed that Jane Austen once stayed in local hotel The Rutland Arms whilst visiting the area and revising the final chapters of Pride and Prejudice.
Single rooms are from £88 per night; doubles from £140. Request to stay in Room 2, where Jane is rumoured to have stayed.
Chatsworth House
Pemberley, Mr Darcy’s grand home in Pride and Prejudice, was famously based on Chatsworth House, which Jane Austen would have visited while staying in Derbyshire. It is also mentioned in the novel as one of the estates Elizabeth Bennett visits before arriving at Pemberley.
The ancestral home of the Duke of Devonshire, Chatsworth House is an iconic landmark in the verdant Derwent Valley, with some 300 rooms open to the public and gardens landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown.
Pride and Prejudice on the Big Screen
The first big-screen adaptation of Pride and Prejudice in 65 years – the 2005 production starring Kiera Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen – was set Pemberley at Chatsworth.
Visitors will recognize the Painted Hall and Sculpture Gallery, both of which were featured in the production, as well as Chatsworth’s impressive façade.
Chatsworth House is open to visitors throughout the year. Entry costs £18 per adult; £12 per child. Online discounts are available.
Walk in the Footsteps of Jane Austen
This is the sixth in a series on Jane Austen and the places that shaped her life – and the lives of her characters.