Only missing the figure and the bonnet . . .

We took the opportunity afforded with the visit of our niece, Melanie Hinton, to visit a place we have been intending to experience ever since we heard it was within our mission boundary.  Does this look familiar, anyone?                                          

Or perhaps this view is better . . .

Yes, we visited Lyme Park, better known to most of us as Pemberley!  Here is a closer view.

The steps which Darcy quickly descends while fastening his cuffs, in order to apprehend Elizabeth before she departs is actually inside the courtyard.  (The house is "hollow" in other words.)  Here we ascend the same stairs.

As I said, I don't quite have the figure ("figger") nor the bonnet for this.

Here is the walk, with steps in the distance, where Darcy and Elizabeth have their first very civil conversation.

We enjoyed the grounds

             and walked up to "The Cage," the hunting lodge on the top of the estate, from which the hunters could survey what was once quite a woods to see where the hunting would be best.  A special breed of dog, the Lyme mastiff was bred here.

Melanie took the opportunity to strike a Wuthering Heights pose

     and a tourist started wailing, "Oh, Heathcliffe!"  It was quite fun. 

It was absolutely delightful to be in this place that was laden with so many  fond literary and cinematic memories.  The house itself was not the one represented in the BBC Pride and Prejudice.  It was a hunting estate of a family by the name of Legh (pronounced Lee).  One room in the house had numberous stained glass panes about 15"x20" depicting the coats of arms of all the families who had married into the Legh family.  The had been taken from the local church (to be replaced by biblical scenes.)  The saying went that "In Cheshire the Leghs are as common as fleas."  From all the portraits living the halls, I would believe it.  The dining room featured the most beautiful silver service ever.  The spaces of the house really were amazing, but our friends say it is nothing compared to the Chatsworth House which we will see sometime before we leave.  That is the Pemberley of the shorter and more recent version of  P &P.

It was a grand day out, and we would love to go again with anyone who will come over to accompany us.
We now know the way!