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Archive for the ‘Derbyshire’ Category

Elizabeth Bennet’s Travels (Part 4): The Peak, “Lambton,” and Bakewell

Posted in Derbyshire, Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Austen's World, Pride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice 1995, Pride and Prejudice 2005, Regency Travel, Travel on July 6, 2026| 1 Comment »

As we round out our tour of Elizabeth Bennet’s travels, let’s take a closer look at the Peak District, the fictional town of Lambton, and the real-life town of Bakewell. Over the past few months, we’ve visited Derbyshire, Matlock, and Dovedale and Chatsworth House, as well as Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenilworth, and Birmingham, the route Elizabeth and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner took on their journey to Derbyshire.

Though Austen never visited most of these destinations for herself, she heard about them from friends and family and read about them in popular guidebooks of the time. Many of the wealthy aristocratic set visited these sites during the Napoleonic Wars, as an alternative to traveling through Europe. The rugged landscapes provided a feast for the Romantic imagination and ample scenes for painters and poets to capture.

Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet, PP film adaptation, 1995.

The Peak District

In PP, we read this description of their travel plans in Derbyshire, where Mrs. Gardiner lived earlier in her life: “About ten or a dozen years ago, before her marriage, [Mrs. Gardiner] had spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire . . . “

In that county (Derbyshire) there was enough to be seen to occupy the chief of their three weeks; and to Mrs. Gardiner it had a peculiarly strong attraction. The town where she had formerly passed some years of her life, and where they were now to spend a few days, was probably as great an object of her curiosity as all the celebrated beauties of Matlock, Chatsworth, Dovedale, or the Peak.

The Peak District would surely have afforded Elizabeth and the Gardiners many scenic drives and walks during the three weeks they spent in Derbyshire. During Austen’s time, the Peak District offered travelers an incredible landscape experience filled with rugged hills, deep dales, and wide-reaching views that unfolded in layers, as far as the eye could see. The sense of grandeur in that region captivated the imagination of all who visited.

In the 2005 PP film, Elizabeth Bennet (played by Keira Knightley) stands on Stanage Edge in the Peak District to survey the landscape. This iconic shot became so popular that the spot is now known as “Keira Knightley’s Rock” and is a famous hiking destination often visited by Austen fans.

Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet, PP film adaptation, 2005.

Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet, PP film adaptation, 1995.

Lambton

After seeing the “principle wonders of the country” around Derbyshire, Elizabeth and the Gardiners focus on one small area where Mrs. Gardiner lived previously, in the (fictional) small town of Lambton, which is described as a “small market-town.” Austen provides these further details:

A small part of Derbyshire is all the present concern. To the little town of Lambton, the scene of Mrs. Gardiner’s former residence, and where she had lately learned that some acquaintance still remained, they bent their steps, after having seen all the principal wonders of the country.

We don’t know much about Mrs. Gardiner’s Lambton from the novel. Some believe that Bakewell, which is situated near Chatsworth and was the start of tours during the Regency Era, may have been Austen’s inspiration for Mrs. Gardiner’s small town because it fits the novel’s geography and social function quite well. It’s a compact market town on the route between the scenic Peak District and nearby grand houses, and it’s just the kind of place where Elizabeth and the Gardiners could have stayed while touring Derbyshire. However, Austen also mentions Bakewell in PP, which leads most scholars to believe that while Lambton may have been something like Bakewell, Austen did not intend it to be Bakewell.

In the following passage, we learn that Elizabeth and the Gardiners had recently visited Bakewell:

Mr. Darcy took [Mrs. Gardiner’s] place by [Elizabeth], and they walked on together. After a short silence the lady first spoke. She wished him to know that she had been assured of his absence before she came to the place, and accordingly began by observing, that his arrival had been very unexpected—“for your housekeeper,” she added, “informed us that you would certainly not be here till to-morrow; and, indeed, before we left Bakewell, we understood that you were not immediately expected in the country.” He acknowledged the truth of it all; and said that business with his steward had occasioned his coming forward a few hours before the rest of the party with whom he had been travelling. “They will join me early to-morrow,” he continued, “and among them are some who will claim an acquaintance with you,—Mr. Bingley and his sisters.”

When Mr. Darcy brings his sister (and Mr. Bingley) to visit Elizabeth at the inn in Lambton, it’s quite extraordinary. We are to understand that Lambton was not a place where Darcy and his sister might normally visit, so it says an awful lot that Mr. Darcy brings Miss Darcy there to introduce her to Elizabeth.

Bakewell

Though Lambton was not, perhaps, meant to be Bakewell, Austen does mention Bakewell. Let us explore Bakewell so that we know what it was like during the Regency Era and what it might have been like to visit.

In Jane Austen’s day, Bakewell was a small market town with an older medieval center, a parish church, a five-arched stone bridge (dating back to the 14th century) that stretched over the River Wye, and a busy market (established in 1254). Bakewell was an important stop in the Peak District. Travelers passing through would have found a coaching stop with old stone buildings, narrow streets, and a bustling market.

Today, Bakewell is the “largest settlement and only town within the boundaries of the Peak District National Park. At the 2011 census, the population of the civil parish was 3,949” (Wikipedia). According to Bakewell.co.uk, Bakewell is the capital town of the Peak District, known for its rich heritage and tradition, and the famous Bakewell tart, “a dessert made with almond paste and puff pastry, is a must-try.” If you have time, look up Bakewell; I’d love to visit one day.

“River Wye, Bakewell Bridge, Derbyshire.” Wikimedia Commons.

Mapping Derbyshire

For those of you who love the minor details in Austen’s novels, I found this information intriguing: “within five miles of Lambton, Elizabeth found, from her aunt, that Pemberley was situated. It was not in their direct road; nor more than a mile or two out of it. In talking over their route the evening before, Mrs. Gardiner expressed an inclination to see the place again.”

Many have wondered if Chatsworth House was a possible inspiration for Pemberley, and on the map today, Chatsworth is about 4-5 miles from Bakewell, depending on the route you take. If Austen had looked at a guidebook or map, or talked with friends who had visited the area, it’s possible that she chose to situate her fictional village (which may have been similar to Bakewell) and Darcy’s fictional estate (which is believed to be similar to Chatsworth) on her fictional map in such a way as to make it seem believable for her contemporary readers.

If you’d like to see a map, the Republic of Pemberley has a detailed map (below), and I’ve added a red arrow for Bakewell. You can see Chatsworth just above and to the right. I highly recommend looking at the maps of Derbyshire that the Republic of Pemberley provides. Each map is filled with interesting sites, as well as information about those sites during Austen’s day.

“Bakewell, Derbyshire.” The Republic of Pemberley. Accessed 25 June 2026.

Travel Dreams

I have had the opportunity to visit many of the “Austen” sites in England, but I have yet been to Derbyshire. This series has certainly given me even more reason to try to get there one day. If you’ve ever been, please share about your favorite sites in the comments below. If I can make it happen one day, I’d love to tour each site and walk in Elizabeth Bennet’s fictional footsteps.

Rachel Dodge teaches writing classes, speaks at libraries, teas, and conferences, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling, award-winning author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, The Little Women Devotional, The Secret Garden Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. She has narrated numerous book titles, including the Praying with Jane Audiobook with actress Amanda Root. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ballgowns. Visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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Elizabeth Bennet’s Travels (Part 2): Derbyshire, Matlock, and Dovedale

Posted in 18th Century England, 19th Century England, Derbyshire, Elizabeth Bennet, Georgian Life, Jane Austen's World, Pride and Prejudice, Regency, Regency Life, Regency Travel, Travel on April 22, 2026| 6 Comments »

Last month, we explored the route Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner took on their journey to Derbyshire through Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenilworth, and Birmingham. This month, we begin our exploration of their time in Derbyshire, so that we might catch a glimpse of what travelers during Austen’s time would have seen when visiting there.

Austen first gives the details of their journey to Derbyshire:

It is not the object of this work to give a description of Derbyshire, nor of any of the remarkable places through which their route thither lay—Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenilworth, Birmingham, etc., are sufficiently known. A small part of Derbyshire is all the present concern.

Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle) and Mrs. Gardiner (Joanna David), Pride and Prejudice (1995).

The Picturesque Tour

Scholars agree that Austen almost certainly never visited Derbyshire, so then how did she know so much about it? First, from William Gilpin’s popular book, Observations on Several Parts of England: particularly the mountains and lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland: relative chiefly to picturesque beauty (1786), which made Matlock, Chatsworth, and Dovedale household names across England.

Elizabeth Bennet’s fictional visit to Derbyshire was also quite common during Austen’s lifetime. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Grand Tour of Europe wasn’t possible, so many genteel English travelers explored England more fully, traveling to seaside resorts and into Wales, the Lake District, and Derbyshire.

Guidebooks circulated widely as well in genteel circles, with engravings of Chatsworth, Dovedale, and Matlock Bath appearing in fashionable drawing rooms. Finally, Austen may have also heard about these destinations from friends or acquaintances who had traveled there.

Gilpin, William. Observations on Several Parts of England, Particularly the Mountains and Lakes of Cumberland and Westmoreland, Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty, Made in the Year 1772. Vol. 2. London: T. Cadell and W. Davies, 1808. First published 1786. p. 176.

Derbyshire:

While in Derbyshire, this is what Austen tells us they were to see and why it was of such interest to Mrs. Gardiner:

. . .they were obliged to give up the Lakes, and substitute a more contracted tour; and, according to the present plan, were to go no farther northward than Derbyshire. In that county there was enough to be seen to occupy the chief of their three weeks; and to Mrs. Gardiner it had a peculiarly strong attraction. The town where she had formerly passed some years of her life, and where they were now to spend a few days, was probably as great an object of her curiosity as all the celebrated beauties of Matlock, Chatsworth, Dovedale, or the Peak.

Below is a detailed map of Derbyshire from 1627 that can help us to visualize the location of each site:

Pieter van den Keere, Map of Derbyshire, 1627. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

We know that Elizabeth did, in fact, visit Matlock and Dovedale because she and Mr. Darcy talk at length about where she has traveled and what she has seen:

He then asked her to walk into the house—but she declared herself not tired, and they stood together on the lawn. At such a time much might have been said, and silence was very awkward. She wanted to talk, but there seemed an embargo on every subject. At last she recollected that she had been travelling, and they talked of Matlock and Dovedale with great perseverance. Yet time and her aunt moved slowly—and her patience and her ideas were nearly worn out before the tête-à-tête was over.

With their conversation in mind, let us explore Matlock and Dovedale to find out what Elizabeth might have discussed with Mr. Darcy on their walk.

Elizabeth (Jennifer Ehle) and Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) walking at Pemberley, Pride and Prejudice (1995).

Matlock

Matlock (and nearby Matlock Bath) are located on the south-east edge of the Peak District alongside the River Derwent. One of the reasons people visited Matlock Bath was for its natural thermal springs, which became popular and fashionable in the late 17th century. Much like visiting Bath to “take the waters,” aristocratic people visited Matlock Bath for the same reason: hoping for the health benefits of the springs.

In Molly Gorman’s, “A Guide to Jane Austen’s Derbyshire, England” (BBC Travel, April 20, 2025), she says this:

Austen was likely well aware of the town’s famed thermal waters. When Bennet enters Derbyshire with apprehension about seeing Darcy, she says, “But surely … I may enter his county without impunity and rob it of a few petrified spars without his perceiving me.” Austen might have been referring to Matlock Bath’s petrifying well – where the mineral-rich thermal water, turns objects into stone.

Gorman goes on to share what Elizabeth might have seen while visiting the area:

Matlock is also popular with walkers as it lies in a valley of the River Derwent. Pride and Prejudice fans may opt to explore the fittingly named Lovers’ Walks, a series of footpaths along the riverside, or if you’d prefer something more challenging, there are also trails that go up and over the wooded cliffs. But perhaps the most famous tourist attraction is the Heights of Abraham, where you can take a mountain cable car to the top of Masson Hill, a 60-acre hilltop estate with a panoramic view of the surrounding valley and town below.

Though we have no textual proof that Elizabeth and the Gardiners took the waters, we can imagine that they would have certainly enjoyed exploring such a naturally beautiful location.

François Vivares, Matlock in Derbyshire, engraving, 18th century. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Dovedale

Dovedale is considered one of the most romantic landscapes in England. It includes a limestone valley with a dramatic ravine carved by the River Dove. Craggy cliffs rise up dramatically above the water. Many have painted and photographed it over the years, trying to capture its beauty.

This area drew visitors long before the Regency era and throughout Jane Austen’s lifetime–and it still does today. During the time Elizabeth Bennet would have traveled through Derbyshire, Dovedale was a popular destination for tourists, especially given the wild, rugged scenery that was prized during the Romantic era. Artists gathered there to sketch its ravines, woodlands, rock formations, and limestone caves. The river was also famous for its fishing, and Austen and her contemporaries would have been familiar with it because of Izaak Walton’s book, The Compleat Angler (1653).

Today, the National Trust owns the valley, and it has been a National Nature Reserve since 2006, recognized for its rare wildflowers, ash woodlands, and wildlife and fish. There is also a set of famous stepping stones, placed in the 1890s, that create a path across the river.

It’s wonderful to think about Elizabeth Bennet exploring this area, especially given her love of nature and long walks. Surely, the scenery would have inspired and refreshed her soul.

Joseph Wright of Derby, Dovedale by Moonlight, oil on canvas, c. 1784–85. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Dovedale Stepping Stones, Derbyshire, England, photochrome print postcard, c. 1890–1900. Library of Congress. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

More of Elizabeth Bennet’s Travels

Though Elizabeth did not make it to the Lake District, she certainly would have seen an abundance of breathtaking landscapes and rugged wilderness to spur on her imagination. Perhaps she was already falling in love with Derbyshire, long before her visit to Pemberley.

Next month, we’ll explore more of Elizabeth Bennet’s travels. We’ll take a closer look at Chatsworth and Austen’s inspiration for “Pemberley,” followed by the Peak District and Bakewell, a small village that many scholars believe might have been Austen’s inspiration for Lambton.

Until then, let us remember fondly Elizabeth’s famous words, “What are men to rocks and mountains?”

Rachel Dodge teaches writing classes, speaks at libraries, teas, and conferences, and writes for Jane Austen’s World blog. She is the bestselling, award-winning author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional, The Little Women Devotional, The Secret Garden Devotional, and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen. She has narrated numerous book titles, including the Praying with Jane Audiobook with actress Amanda Root. A true kindred spirit at heart, Rachel loves books, bonnets, and ballgowns. Visit her online at www.RachelDodge.com.

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