In Search of Mr. Darcy

Despite being a horribly rainy day, my flat mate and I had bought tickets to take the bus up to Chatsworth for the day, which has been the filming place of several movies, including the newest Pride and Prejudice, as well as The Duchess. Watch this video about the filming of Pride and Prejudice at Chatsworth before looking at the pictures.

I won't lie that I was fully hoping to find Mr. Darcy walking out of the pond... Or at least find him so I could ask him to re-enact that scene.

Here's a quickie video out the window of our drive up to the house. Having been told to watch all the Jane Austen films ever made by my mother while I was home for the summer, I couldn't help but think of Elizabeth Bennet and the description of her first glance at Pemberley...Only, I hadn't recently declined the marriage proposal of the owner, but still. You get the point.

Look! A tollbooth!!

THE BOAR: 
Strike the boar with the REAL Sword and you'll get a piece of the disc.*

 *(this is a reference I only expect my father and sister to understand)

Nothing to keep you from sitting on the fancy furniture like a prickle up the bum.

A replica of Hercules' shield. Nothing major. Bet they bought it at Pottery Barn. 

...this one too. 

"A pair of French percussion target pistols by Le Page, Paris, with browned octagonal barrels, carved walnut stocks with butts, and a full complement of accessories, dates 1836."

This statue was featured in the movie and has some lovely detail of the veil. 

A view out the rainy window of some of the gardens. 

A model of the entire house...'Just a cozy house for two.'

Sam and I playing dress-up as the hired help...

...and the boys...

Hotness. Straight up.

Chatsworth building accounts, 1687-1694. 

I have always wanted a house with secret passages. This was one of many little hidden doors for the hired help. Reminds me of that door in the Clue game that helps you get from the Conservatory to the Lounge. Not that I'd use it for those purposes, mind you...

A tiara for the girls...

...and model air planes for the boys. 

Talk about a drama-filled group of gals. The Mitford sisters were described as follows..

 "Diana the Fascist, Jessica the Communist, Unity the Hitler-lover; Nancy the Novelist; Deborah the Duchess and Pamela the unobtrusive poultry connoisseur"

Deborah, the Duchess, is the only one still living today. 

Devonshire robes, possibly 18th c. Worn at the Queen's coronation in 1953 by Deborah's mother-in-law, who was the Mistress of Robes, the purpose of which I can't even begin to imagine. 

Some of the Duchess' clothes. 

Library.

Universal Equinoctal Dial...and its description...

And finally, the sculpture room. Probably the most recognizable from the movie for me. So we searched and searched for sculptures we recognized, but all I was really looking for was Darcy...

Alas, we'd finished the sculpture room and he was no where to be found. So we meandered into the gift shop and hiding above the walls of overpriced cards and marmalade, guess what we found...

And the search for Mr. Right was over. So we packed up and headed home for tea and biscuits.