There are several places nearby our camping spot that we wanted to explore and all within easy driving distant. Lyme Park was one such place so armed with a picnic lunch we headed off to find it. We are always amazed at how many other people are doing just the same thing and the car park was fairly full when we arrived close to lunch time. Picnic areas are provided so we found ourselves a table and enjoyed our lunch, watching lots of others, especially children enjoying themselves. Lyme Park is on the edge of the Peak District and was once home to the Legh family. In its heyday it was a great sporting estate. Originally a Tudor house, it was transformed into an Italianate palace in the 18th century.
Inside the house there was plenty to see as you step back in time to the Edwardian era which was promoted as its 'Golden Era'. Much of it is interactive and you could read a book in the library, play the piano, dress up and put on a play in the Long Gallery or the children could play in the nursery. The Long Gallery ran the length of one side of the building and was used for exercise on inclement days. Plays and entertainment were also a regular feature of life at Lyme Park with a stage and set being built at one end for the family performers.
Lyme Park's other claim to fame is that some of the filming for the BBC's 1995 TV mini serries of 'Pride and Prejudice' was filmed in the grounds. This is the reason for the large numbers of visitors to the park, with statistics showing they have tripled to 91 000 a year.
This screen shot from the series shows Mr Darcy on horse back. (He is in front of the trees to the right.)
This is Miss Elizabeth Bennett's first view of the house and when she's asked by Mr Darcy how she likes it she replies "Very well. I don't think I've ever seen a place so happily situated. I like it very much. (Screenshot from the TV series.)
The 'Dutch Gardens' haven't fared so well this summer due to the large amount of rainfall earlier in the summer. The areas of brown in the picture should all be a blaze of colour but the plants had to be removed as they failed to thrive in the wet conditions. This garden also featured in Pride and Prejudice, being where Lizzy walked a full circuit before encountering Mr Darcy.
The rose garden also seems to have come to the same demise as the Dutch Garden this season and was looking decidedly worse for wear due to a lack of sun.
The herbaceous border seemed to be faring better than some of the other gardens. Maybe it was the large bricked wall tucked in behind that was providing some extra warmth.
Lyme Park can also be seen in several other TV series and movies. Examples include Brideshead Revisited (1981, TV Mini-series), The Forsyte Saga (2002, TV Mini-Series), Far from the Madding Crowd (1998 TV Movie), and the long-running Australian soap opera Neighbours (TV series, episode 1146, 1990).
Our visit was cut short by a very heavy downpour. We had hoped to walk to the 'Cage' up on the hill as it gave excellent views of the park and it's surrounds. Originally it was a hunting lodge nd then later a prison for captured poachers.
The Cage.
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