In addition to being an area of outstanding beauty, the Peak District is also home to a wealth of film and TV production locations including big blockbusters such as Pride and Prejudice, The Duchess, Elizabeth, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Wolfman. The national park also has very strong literary connections. Both Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte are reported to have used Peak District places and locations as inspiration for their famous books and with the wild, romantic and rugged landscapes it’s easy to see why.
We have devised a ‘Movie and Literary Trail’ to cover our favorite film and literature connected locations. The trail should take you around three days depending how long you wish to stay in each location.
The Bakewell Area
The Bakewell area is a must see on our Movie and Literary Trail, the village itself has strong literary connections and so has Haddon Hall (located in the Bakewell area) and nearby Chatsworth House. Both the stately homes have also been used as big budget film locations.
Bakewell Village
- Rutland Arms
The historic small market town of Bakewell is definitely worth a visit if you are Jane Austen fan. The Rutland Arms is a lovely Georgian pub overlooking the town square which was built for the Duke of Rutland in 1804. Jane Austen was said to have stayed in 1811 here (in room number 2!) whilst visiting Chatsworth and researching her famous Pride and Prejudice novel. Bakewell is believed to based on the fictional Lambton and the inn is mentioned in Pride and Prejudice where Elizabeth Bennet stayed and received a visit from Mr Darcy. Outside the second room in the Rutland Arms is a plaque which commerates its Jane Austen connections. You can also book yourself a stay in the Rutland Arms through our accommodation search (Choose the area ‘Bakewell’ and ‘Hotel’ as your accommodation type).
Haddon Hall
Once in Bakewell, Haddon Hall can be accessed very easily – this impressive and romantic fortified medieval manor house can be found just down the road from Bakewell (take the A6 road until you are near Nether Haddon). Haddon Hall’s chapel was used in scenes from the epic big screen 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightly and also in the popular BBC’s 2006 version of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (starring Ruth Wilson), it was the brooding Mr Rochester’s home ‘Thornfield Hall’.
The Other Boleyn Girl movie
Haddon Hall was also used for the 1996 version of Jane Eyre (directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starring Anna Paquin as the young Jane Eyre) and the 1998 big budget film Elizabeth I starring Cate Blanchett. More recently Haddon Hall was utilized in scenes for ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ starring Scarlett Johansson as Mary Boleyn and Natalie Portman as her doomed sister Anne.
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is about 3 miles away from Bakewell village and can be accessed by an hour long scenic walk via footpaths from Bakewell or a very quick drive. Chatsworth is a beautiful country house set in perfectly landscaped gardens and expansive parklands. It has also been chosen as the UK’s favourite country house on more than one occasion and is the area’s premier tourist attraction. Chatsworth is also believed to the model for Jane Austen’s Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice novel and has actually represented Mr Darcy’s home in the 2005 blockbuster film starring Keira Knightley.
Pride and Prejudice movie
Chatsworth was used for all the exterior Pemberley sequences and some interior scenes. The sculpture gallery was used for a scene where Lizzie Bennet sees the bust of Mr Darcy and his housekeeper describes his many good qualities. The grand staircase of the Painted Hall is featured in a scene where Lizzie Bennet and the Gardiners are first introduced to Pemberley. Chatsworth House was mentioned in the novel as one of the estates Elizabeth Bennet visits before arriving at Pemberley.
The Duchess movie
The magnificent country house has also been used in many other famous films. In the 2008 Kiera Knightley and Ralph Fiennes film “The Duchess” many scenes were filled at Chatsworth House. There is even a ‘Duchess’ Exhibition at Chatsworth complete with the stunning costumes which were used throughout the film.
The Wolfman movie
The recent big budget classic horror film remake ‘The Wolfman’ starring Anthony Hopkins and Benico del Toro was also partially filmed at Chatsworth. The stately home was transformed into an atmospheric house of horror for the scenes, complete with mud smeared on the windows, vines draping from the roof and crumbling statues positioned throughout the grounds. Of course the home was returned to it’s pristine former glory after the filming was finished!
The Hathersage Area
Hathersage area, Peak District
The pretty ancient village of Hathersage (located in Hope Valley) has very strong literary and also folklore connections. It’s the village where Little John of the Robin Hood legend is said to be buried and also Charlotte Bronte stayed here before writing her classic novel Jane Eyre. Nearby North Lee’s Hall also has very strong literary and film connections and Stanage’s Edge (also in the area) is now an iconic image in two well known productions.
Hathersage Village and North Lees Hall
North Lees Hall
The interesting village of Hathersage is approximately a 25 minute drive from Bakewell. In 1845 Charlotte Bronte stayed with her friend Ellen Nussey at Hathersage Vicarage. This was around the time Charlotte was writing Jane Eyre and her visit is widely believed to have inspired her much celebrated novel. Although the authoress uses the fictitious village name of ‘Morton’ in her novel, described locations are very similar to locations in Hathersage. The name ‘Eyre’ is said to have taken from the local wealthy Eyre family who lived in Hathersage owning several grand houses.
Jane Eyre BBC TV
One of the houses owned by the wealthy Eyre family was North Lees Hall – an atmospheric stone hall with mullioned windows and battlements located in an isolated spot on the outskirts Hathersage. The Hall is widely accepted to be ‘Thornfield,’ Mr. Rochester’s House in the novel where his mad wife leapt from the battlements. The Hall is approximately a 1.5 mile walk from the village. It is now a holiday rental home but it’s still an attractive sight and the actual hall also appeared in Pride and Prejudice, The Other Boleyn Girl and Jane Eyre. Although the Hall is not visible from the road the imposing building is just a short walk across some fields.
Stanage Edge
Stanage Edge
Stanage Edge is a very long gritstone edge and a popular beauty spot near Hathersage, it has also appeared the film Pride and Prejudice and the BBC version of Jane Eyre. It lies on the moors north of Hathersage it’s about a 3 mile walk from Hathersage and then another 2 mile hike to get to the top of the edge. It is definitely worth the hike not only because of the exceptional views but also because of the chance to recreate Keira Knightly’s iconic scene in Pride and Prejudice where she gazes out for miles and miles. Stanage Edge and the dramatic surrounding landscapes were used in the moors scene in episode four of the critically acclaimed BBC drama Jane Eyre starring Ruth Wilson, Toby Stephens and Pam Ferris.
Tissington
Tissington Hall, Peak District
Tissington Hall is lovely 17th century Jacobean mansion house situated in the pretty village of Tissington itself which is located on the Southern part of the national park. If you were driving from Hathersage it would take about an hour through scenic countryside but if you were driving from Bakewell it would take around 35 minutes. Tissington Hall was used in the 2007 big budget film ‘The Duchess” again starring Keira Knightley 2006 and also the BBC’s Jane Eyre.
Lyme Hall
Lyme House
If you have enough time during your Peak District break also try and visit National Trust owned Lyme Hall. Lyme Hall is a famous country house nestled in sweeping moorland on the edge of the Peak District National Park (in Stockport, Cheshire). It would take approximately 40 minutes by car from Bakewell or an hour from Tissington but if you are a fan of country houses and interesting locations then it’s definitely worth a visit. The house was used in the extremely popular 1995 BBC television drama Pride and Prejudice which was responsible for turning Colin Firth into an international star. Lyme Hall was ‘Pemberley’ in this production and was used for all the external scenes as well as the famous scene where dripping Mr Darcy is seen emerging from the lake!
Mr Darcy, Pride and Prejudice, BBC TV
