Entertainment
All The TV Shows & Films That Have Been Shot At Chatsworth House
Christmas may officially fall on Dec. 25, but there’s nothing stopping you from visiting places around the UK that thrive during the festive season. One place that relies heavily on tourism this time of year is a stately home in the Peak District, which is featured on Channel 4’s Christmas at Chatsworth House tonight (Dec. 12). The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire’s home isn’t just a draw for tourists at Christmas, though. It’s also a haven for fans of period dramas, as it’s often used as a filming location for adaptations of iconic English novels. So what shows and movies have been filmed at Chatsworth House?
If you’re familiar with Jane Austen, you most likely recognise the exterior of Chatsworth House as the stand-in for the fictional Pemberley House. Neighbouring stately homes like Haddon Hall have also been used, but Chatsworth seems to be primarily used to depict Pemberley. While it’s hard to imagine Chatsworth has anything other than Mr Darcy’s stately home, its exterior and interiors have also been used for the Charlotte Bronte adaptations and even Peaky Blinders. So whether you want to live a day in Elizabeth Bennet’s shoes or pretend you’re in your own period drama, these are some of the TV shows and movies that have been filmed at Chatsworth House.
1'Pride and Prejudice' (2005)
Arguably the most iconic use of the stately home, the 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice brought the fictional Pemberley House to life through Chatsworth. Jane Austen reportedly wrote the novel in Lake District town of Bakewell, but is believed to have used Chatsworth as inspiration for Mr Darcy’s estate.
From the Sculpture Gallery to the Painted Hall, you’ll be living your best life as Elizabeth Bennet exploring the iconic rooms. The bust of Mr Darcy featured in the film still presides in the house, and you can find it in “the Orangery shop, through the Sculpture Gallery” as the website for Chatsworth notes.
2'Peaky Blinders' (Series 2, Episode 5)
Chatsworth isn’t exactly a location that comes to mind when thinking about the gritty world of Peaky Blinders, but it was the perfect fit for May Carleton (played by Charlotte Riley).
The character plays a major role in the second series, accompanied by frequent visits to her country house. Interior and exterior shots of Chatsworth were used throughout the second series, including a fantastic use of its beautiful library.
3'Jane Eyre' (2011)
Jane Austen wasn’t the only English writer influenced by the Peak District, as Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre features a number of locations throughout the national park. While Brontë’s main influence was North Lees Hall, the gardens at Chatsworth were also used to bring the fictional Thornfield Hall to life in Cary Joji Fukunaga’s 2011 adaptation.
Neighbouring country estate Haddon Hall has been used to depict Thornfield on multiple occasions as well. The two are 30-minute drive apart, so you could totally make a Bronte day trip out of these locations.
4'Death Comes To Pemberley'
Seeing as Death Comes to Pemberley is a continuation of Elizabeth (Anna Maxwell Martin) and Mr Darcy’s (Matthew Rhys) love story, it’s only natural that Chatsworth was one of the main filming locations.
The series, based on P.D. James’ novel of the same name, uses the “south and west facades” of the house to depict Pemberley, along with several rooms “such as the Painted Hall, Great Dining Room, Sculpture Gallery and Oak Room” were used for interiors, much like Pride & Prejudice.
5'The Duchess' (2008)
Based on the biography of the 18th century Duchess of Devonshire, The Duchess follows Georgiana Spencer (Keira Knightly) as she marries William Cavendish (Ralph Fiennes), the Duke of Devonshire in 1774.
Shot in the very house that Georgiana and William lived in, this period film makes Knightly and Fiennes’ portrayals of the Duke and Duchess even more realistic.
