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Sunday, February 28

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Next time I visit England, I am definitely visiting some of the Jane Austen movie locations. Of the locations you have seen, which will take you off the beaten path?

Which Jane Austen Movie Location/s Would You Like to See?

Lacock has been the setting for Meryton in Pride and Prejudice 1995, Emma with Kate Beckinsale in 1996, and the recent Cranford series.



Remember the rain scene at the Temple of Apollo in Pride and Prejudice 2005? While the setting is inaccurate in terms of Jane Austen's description, the backdrop was wildly romantic for Mr. Darcy's (Matthew Macfadyen's) first proposal to Lizzie (Keira Knightley).





The setting for all Box Hill scenes in Emma is, well, Box Hill. Emma's ridicule of Miss Bates, Mr. Knightley's justifiable anger and disappointment with Emma, Frank Churchill's dubious nature, and Jane Fairfax's pain upon seeing Frank flirt with another woman. The views from this hill are said to be spectacular, and it remains today much as it was during Jane Austen's time.


Stanage Edge, Hathersage Moor, Hathersage, Derbyshire, England, UK

Who can forget Elizabeth Bennet standing at the edge of Stanage Edge in the Peak District as she and the Gardiners traveled north? One might quibble with the end result of this film, but some of the visuals are stunning. This scene alone gave me a desire to see this part of England.

City of Bath

Jane Austen lived in Bath, which is also featured in Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. The Georgian center of town is a jewel and transports one back to the Georgian Era. The Jane Austen Centre is located in Bath, as are the Pump Room, Assembly Rooms, Molland's, and a host of other sites we associate with Jane Austen.

Multiple answers are allowed this week!

Jane Austen Film Location I Would Like to Visit
Lacock Village, Wiltshire
Stourhead Landscape Garden, Wiltshire
Box Hill, Surrey
Stanage Edge, Hathersage Moor, Derbyshire
City of Bath, Somerset
pollcode.com free polls


11 comments:

TessQ said...

I voted for Box Hill, but only because I have had the very great fortune to have visited all the others before -- and would willingly do so again.

Derbyshire is one of my favorite places in the world (all of it, haha) - and this view from Stanage Edge (I've stood on that rock, though further back) is stunning; but there are also walks and hikes galore to love in this region. Stourhead too is stunning in a different manner, a garden you can easily spend an entire day in any season. Lacock would have put me back into a different time if it (sadly) weren't for the multitudes of cars parked outside of every building, kind of ruining the effect of timelessness. But still worth it. And of course, Bath is delightful -- in the early morning when many of the streets are empty, but for stoplights here and there, you could easily imagine yourself in Regency England.

I heartily recommend them all, for as long as you can stay.

Heather Carroll said...

Oh who could decide! Personally I picked the Derbyshire one because it is one of the most beautiful places in the world and I could never tire of going there!

Ollie Otson said...

I voted for the place in the rain scene. I'm such a sucker for that part, so I had to go for it.

Kate said...

I thought the Stanage Edge scene was a little over the top the first time I saw it ( maybe because it looked a little blue screen/CGI to me) but, being an outdoorsy girl, I wouldn't pass up a chance to go for a hike, have a look around. All the while with a sweeping score going through my head!

Another place (or thing) that I would like to visit from the P&P film is that enormous, grand old tree that Elizabeth and the Gardiners stop for a snack and they suggest a visit to Pemberley. That is a magnificent tree (oak?) Please let it be real and not a set!!

TessQ said...

Kate -- the tree is real. It is located on the Chatsworth estate (Pemberley in 2005 film)in woods that are not generally open to the public for conservation purposes - thousand year old oak trees that are fabulous (I did a private tour of the woods with the domain manager two years ago as a birthday treat; he's the man who 'scouted' the tree for the production company) in what is also a portion of Sherwood Forest. I was able to sit where 'Lizzy' sat.

Chatsworth (Pemberley) also could be on that list of choices; it's fabulous, with extensive parkland, woods and gardens that you could meander through for days. (And only about 12 miles from Stanage Edge.)

Charleybrown said...

I voted for Stanadge Edge. Epic shot!

Anonymous said...

I voted for Stanage Edge - what are men compared to rocks and mountains (did I get that right?)?

I was lucky enough, just a few weeks ago, to have visited Bath (to see Matthew Macfadyen in the Noel Coward play Private Lives) and to also have visited Stourhead. I loved both places. Stourhead is truly beautiful, although be warned that the Temple where the first proposal took place in the movie is still under renovation, with scaffolding completely encompassing it. :(

Nonna said...

Stanage Edge of course...one of the best prospects and scenes in 2005 P & P. Box Hill is a close second.

Lizjp...How was the play ???

BTW,
All those readers who have actually visited some of these places...you are so fortunate and I am so jealous !!!

TessQ said...

Oh, how did you enjoy Private Lives??? I will be in London in late April and am going then -- I can't wait. An English friend went the night before last show in Bath, and loved it -- even had a nice chat with Matthew Macfadyen at the stage door afterwards.

If you do get (get back) to Stourhead, depending on time of year, twice a year they do dawn walking tours, that you can book ahead. The one I did was in late May (I think the other is in September?) -- The head gardener takes a group of about 35 people through the park just after dawn - we met there at 5:15 a.m., but it was so worth it. They also had an expert along to identify birdsong, as the gardener talked about the various foliage, park management (they have a 50-year plan!) and sundry things. Fabulous. Then afterwards, there was still nearly an hour before it officially opened, but they let us go back in and wander if we wanted. Only two of us did -- imagine having that whole place to myself nearly. It was heavenly. And great photos of the sun rising on the Pantheon and Temple, too. (And thankfully, no scaffolding on the Temple of Apollo yet) So if you're going, check out the National Trust website to see if there's a "dawn" date during your visit.

Nigel said...

Hhmmm....
Perhaps Stanage Edge, Hathersage Moor, Hathersage, Derbyshire, England, UK is such a favourate because it is a visual metaphor for the wild nature of love?

Very Bronte too!
which I identify with a lot more than Austen. No disrespect.

Antiques And Teacups said...

I absolutely love visiting Lacock & Bath...I am afraid I am predjudiced...but say it without pride...of course! Have been both several times and would go often again! One of the times we were in Bath they were filming Persuasion...got to see a bit & caught the tail end of a street scene of folks & carriages as they left the closed off streets they were filming in. Cool!
Ruth