Visiting Pemberley

"Lyme House or Pemberley?"

Thousands of people flock to Lyme Park, not only for its many walking paths and picnic areas, but also for the house made famous in the BBC film Pride and Prejudice. Our shuttle bus driver asked us the question, "Now is this Lyme House or Pemberley for you girls?" on our way up to the house, to which we proudly answered, "Pemberley!" This is Mr. Darcy's house, which Elizabeth visits while staying with her Uncle and Aunt Gardner in the Lake Country, England. Only the exterior of Lyme House was used in the film, while the interior scenes were filmed at Sudbury Hall.

We will walk through our visit in the same way Lizzy did.

"Shall we reach the house before dark?"

Lyme Park stretches for an impressive 1,300 acres. We totally understand Lizzy's impatience in finally reaching Pemberley. It took us nearly 30 minutes to walk from the train station to the entrance to Lyme Park. We took the shuttle from here to the entrance to Pemberley... I mean, Lyme.

"Beautiful!"

Elizabeth breathes out her admiration on first seeing the house and grounds of Pemberley. You actually have to walk to the back of the house and around the back of the pond to get the magnificent view that Lizzy gets as they ride up. 

Before getting to this point, as I mentioned, you have to walk around the pond. The grounds of Lyme are truly exquisite. The flowers, trees and streams all shout, "You are a Jane Austen heroine! Even if it is 2013..."

"I have only arrived myself."

After deciding to come back to Pemberley a day early, Mr. Darcy unexpectedly encounters Elizabeth by the lake. In the movie, this meeting is made more unexpected and more awkward because, as it was a very warm day, Mr. Darcy had decided to take a quick dip in the lake. Not expecting to meet anyone but his servants at the house, he is met by the object of his affection.

"Do you like to fish, Mr. Gardner?"

After the awkward meeting, Darcy rushes to and from his home after dressing to meet Lizzy properly. 

He finds them about the leave but entreats them to stay and take a turn about the grounds with him. 

"I hope we should meet again very soon."

"Mr. Darcy handed the ladies into the carriage and when it drove off, Lizzy saw  him walking slowly towards the house." The long stare between Lizzy and Darcy as Lizzy leaves Pemberley at the end of the fourth P&P episode is the moment you begin to see Lizzy's change of heart. I just wonder how they fit a full carriage on the walking path that they filmed that scene on...

  

“Elizabeth was delighted. 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. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!” - Pride and Prejudice

Visiting Lyme park was great fun for KK and I. Walking the grounds, gazing at the House... we will never watch Pride & Prejudice the same again. Nor will anyone watching with us since we'll be exclaiming, "I've been there!!" during every Pemberley scene.