My first encounter withPride and Prejudicewas in my early teens, browsing through old bookshelves in my grandmother’s farmhouse. I think I lasted for three chapters. A few years later, I tried again. This time, perseverance paid off, and I became engrossed in the lives of Jane and Lizzie Bennett, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Mr. Bingley to shake up our rural existences.
Today, Jane Austen’s novels are well-thumbed favorites on my own bookshelves. I am not alone – in 2025, her works are still resonating with global audiences, and celebrations are being held to mark the 250 years since her birth. Even Netflix has joined the party, announcing in April the leads for their new adaptation ofPride and Prejudice.
Exploring Jane Austen’s England
Fans visiting the UK this year will be spoiled for choice when visiting her book and screen locations, with many special events, exhibitions, and tours on their programs. Follow in the footsteps of your favorite characters through country estates, quaint villages, and sweeping coastal scenery – you’ll find links to them in some unexpected places!
Stourhead, Wiltshire
Who can forget the scene with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett in the rain in the 2005 film adaptation ofPride and Prejudice? Mr. Darcy’s proposal, filmed here in the Temple of Apollo, was a washout in more ways than one, but we had the best of English summer weather for our tour of this magnificent house and garden.
The Palladian-style house, cared for by the National Trust, features a significant collection of furniture and artwork. This year, the actors’ costumes from the proposal scene are the highlight of an exhibition running until November. The gardens on the estate are world-renowned, with picnic-friendly lawns and sweeping views. Walking the accessible track around the lake takes around an hour, and as well as garden temples and follies, you will see the arched bridge Elizabeth ran across in the rain.
Tip– if you want to have lunch while visiting the estate, keep an eye on the time. After an extended hike around the lake, we stopped at the pub for a meal. My hangry son’s wails of distress when he found the kitchen had closed are now part of our family’s folklore. Plan your visit at Stourhead.
Lacock Village and Abbey, Wiltshire
This medieval country town was the setting for the fictional villages of Highbury (ITV film Emma, 1996) and Meryton (Pride and Prejudice, 1995). When we visited, there was nary a red-coated officer to be seen, but we easily imagined Emma and the Bennett sisters with bonnets and baskets, tripping past the black and white Tudor buildings on the High Street.
If walking down the street feels like you’ve wandered onto a film set, you’re probably right – fans of Harry Potter and Downton Abbey will also be in familiar territory. The village is largely managed by the National Trust and is famous for its historical preservation. A short walk from the village is Lacock Abbey, which was founded in 1232. The Abbey gardens and cloisters are well worth a visit, and have also played a part on the big screen.
Tip– while the village is free to wander, tickets are required to visit the Abbey. Find out about seasonal times and prices from the National Trust.
Lyme Regis, Dorset
Jane Austen and her family stayed in Lyme Regis in the early 1800s when it was a fashionable seaside resort, and inspired the location for the pivotal chapters inPersuasion. Like Anne Elliot and her party before us, after exploring the high grounds and extensive sweeps of the country along the Jurassic Coast, we dined on the seafront and set off for a promenade along The Cobb.
The old stone seawall and steep stone steps, made famous by the impetuous Louisa Musgrove, have featured in many screen adaptations of Austen’s last novel. Besides Bath, Lyme Regis is one of the ‘real life’ locations Jane used in her books, and perhaps reflected her affection for the area. Learn more at Visit Dorset.
The Isle of Wight
Jane’s niece Fanny recorded her visit to the Isle of Wight in 1813, being impressed with the Shanklin Chine and a boat ride around the famous Needles point. In Jane’s next novel,Mansfield Park, Fanny Price’s cousins complain she thinks of nothing but the Isle of Wight, and she calls it The Island, as if there were no other island in the world.
A short ferry ride from Southampton, the island enjoys a sheltered position in the English Channel and is generally warmer and sunnier than the mainland. Generally – not always! It was a cold, grey day when we visited the Needles, and the wind buffeted our cable car as we rode down to the beach to admire the colored cliffs of Alum Bay. We soon abandoned the views and headed back up the cliff for hot chocolate and a wander around the glassmaking gift shop.
As well as Jane Austen, the Isle of Wight lays claim to many other literary greats, and you can follow their footsteps on the Literary Heroes trail across sandy beaches, historical houses, and sweeping downs.
Jane Austen’s House Museum, Chawton, Hampshire
Dangling on my daughter’s bedhead is a potpourri bag, still smelling faintly of lavender from the cottage garden. We tried on bonnets, tiptoed over the squeaky floorboards, and marveled at the tiny size of Jane’s writing desk. Tiny her desk may be, but the literary output was mighty. Here, Jane wrote and revised six of her globally acclaimed novels and kept up a flourishing correspondence with friends and family.
This red-bricked house was part of Jane’s brother’s Chawton estate and is where Jane spent the last eight years of her life. It is said to be the model behind the Dashwood’s cottage inSense and Sensibility. This year, both nearby Chawton House and Jane’s House are holding exhibitions and tours commemorating the author’s legacy – early bookings are recommended.
Bath, Somerset
“Oh! Who can ever be tired of Bath?” Catherine Morland was gushing in her praise; as I circled the streets looking for a car park, Jane’s sentiment that it was “the most tiresome place in the world” seemed much more apt. Thankfully, once on foot exploring the streets where Jane herself lived, I was again in tune with Catherine.
The honey-colored buildings on the great curve of the Royal Crescent were beautiful, and bustling Milsom Street and Sydney Gardens were familiar names fromPersuasionandNorthanger Abbey; two of the novels set here in Bath. The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, based on the Roman spas, Georgian architecture, and historical importance.
Jane Austen is synonymous with Bath, and in 2025, the city is embracing all things Regency to celebrate her 250th anniversary. Home to an annual Jane Austen Festival, this September, the 10-day event will feature balls, talks, tours, and the chance to don your period costume and take tea at the Pump Room. Perhaps Catherine Morland was right after all.
Gretna Green, Scotland
Even if Lydia Bennett and her handsome Wickham didn’t end up here, this village just across the Scottish border was the destination for many other star-crossed lovers. Couples in England who were under the age of 21 and marrying without their parents’ consent took advantage of the more relaxed laws in Scotland and eloped to the Border, as did Julia and Mr Yates inMansfield Park.
Gretna Green was the first village they came to, and there they could be married ‘over the anvil’; a simple ceremony with two witnesses and the blacksmith striking his anvil to seal the marriage. We arrived in Scotland in a hire car rather than a coach-and-four and stopped for morning tea and a browse around the historic complex.
The Famous Blacksmith Shop is still a popular destination today for weddings and reenactments, and the museum has tales and artifacts from real-life runaway couples. Enough romance and scandal for any Regency novel!
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Author Bio:
After beginning her career in tourism and airline marketing, Sue now writes about the people and places she encounters on her travels. With Australia being a long flight from just about anywhere, she’s always keen to pack as much as possible into every trip.
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