Chatsworth House

On screen

How Chatsworth House appears

Chatsworth becomes Pemberley in Joe Wright's 2005 film. Its Sculpture Gallery is one of the clearest screen matches: the production replaced the novel's portrait-gallery encounter with Elizabeth looking at sculpture. The estate's own account explains that choice and identifies the veiled Vestal Virgin seen in the scene. This is Matthew Macfadyen's Pemberley, rather than Colin Firth's exterior at Lyme. Other 2005 Pemberley interiors were supplied by Wilton House, so even this grand screen estate is assembled from more than one real property.

• Film (2005): Pride & Prejudice

The real place

What you can visit

Chatsworth's art collection gives the visit a specific focus beyond its exterior. The original Darcy bust survives as a film prop in the Orangery shop, reached through the Sculpture Gallery. It was made by Nick Dutton in 2004 using resin mixed with marble dust, rather than being an old portrait from the family's collection. The veiled sculpture is a genuine collection object. Distinguishing the two makes the gallery visit more interesting and prevents a souvenir object from being described as historic evidence for Austen's fictional character.

Give the Sculpture Gallery proper time rather than treating it as a corridor on the way out. The director's use of the collection is a documented part of how this Pemberley was created.