Jane Austen fans dress up in regency attire for Pride and Prejudice ball at Chatsworth House, which inspired Mr Darcy's estate

Austen fans attended Pride and Prejudice Ball at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire yesterday

Tickets cost £85 and include regency-themed five course dinner and dance



Chatsworth House is believed to be the inspiration for Pemberley, Mr Darcy's residence



The stately home also featured in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie starring Kiera Knightley




Regency costumed guests arrived in their dozens for dinner and dancing at the Pride and Prejudice Ball at Chatsworth House yesterday.



Jane Austen, who stayed there while penning her famous novel of the same name, is believed to have based her depiction of the fictional Pemberley, Fitzwilliam Darcy's residence, on the stately home.

Guests turned out in stunning regency attire including full length gowns with classic square necklines and short puff sleeves, made from soft muslin fabrics.

Costumed guests pictured left to right - Simon Bourne, Rebecca Markillie, Chrissie Sheerstone, and Bruce Goodwin

Most dresses were fitted tightly under the bust in a period-perfect empire style and paired with long gloves, which ladies always wore when outside the house.

Gentlemen, meanwhile, dressed up as dandies in so-called 'Wellington boots' - knee-high footwear at the height of regency fashion - perfectly tied silk cravats, waistcoats and dinner jackets.

The ball in Derbyshire staged an evening to remember, celebrating the 201 years since the publication of Pride and Prejudice.

Dubbed the Pride and Prejudice Regency Ball, the soiree began at 7.30pm and ended at approximately 11pm, with tickets costing £85 per person.

The evening began with champagne and canapés in the Painted Hall with live entertainment from Lady Georgianna, an 18th century girl band.



Guests were then invited to tour the North Wing of the house before making their way to the Carriage House restaurant to enjoy a sumptuous, themed five-course dinner.



Lady Georgianna joined guests at dinner with Regency style poems and songs.

Women wore frocks with square necklines, puff sleeves and empire waistlines (l) while some went all out in long gloves - which were always worn outside the house

Young Austen fan Juliette Boland from Los Angeles, America, wore era-appropriate attire

With capacity for 100 or more, the vast majority of Austen fans turned out in full costume - a key point of the ball, though the fancy dress wasn't compulsory.



Jane Austen visited Chatsworth House in 1811 while staying at the Rutland Arms in Bakewell while writing Pride and Prejudice. The stately home is believed to be her inspiration for Pemberley, the residence of the novel's romantic hero Mr Darcy.

Austen wrote in the novel: 'The eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of the valley into which the road into some abruptness wound.

'It was a large, handsome, stone building standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned.'

In the book, lead character Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr Darcy for the first time at a similar event to the Pride and Prejudice soiree - but takes an immediate dislike to him.

Ladies in full-length gowns and gents in dinner jackets walk up Lodge Hill to the Stable Courtyard for dinner

Gillian and Ray Ingles from Bramcote, Nottinghamshire, dress up for the part (l) and Vicky and Andy Robinson from Manchester wear matching burgundy outfits (r)

The stately home has been the seat of the Dukes of Devonshire since 1549 and is mentioned in Pride and Prejudice as one of the stately homes that Elizabeth Bennet visits before arriving at Pemberley.

Chatsworth also featured in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie starring Kiera K nightley and Matthew Macfayden. Visitors are encouraged to ponder the grand staircase and ceiling of the Painted Hall - where Lizzie and the Gardiners start their tour of Pemberley.

The Sculpture Gallery - which features the beautiful veiled Vestal Virgin sculpture - was used in the scene where Lizzie Bennet sees the bust of Mr Darcy, and his housekeeper describes his many good qualities.

The ball in Derbyshire staged an evening to remember, celebrating the 201 years since the publication of Pride and Prejudice The scene was originally set to be in a gallery of paintings, but was changed to make use of Chatsworth's collection. Chatsworth has been used as a setting for other Pride and Prejudice themed outings, from fans coming to see the locations and enjoy 'Pemberley', to themed photography, such as their Pride and Prejudice themed photo shoot.

Known as one of England’s greatest country estates, Chatsworth provided the perfect setting to launch the Peak District estate's Georgian Summer of events (27 July - 29 August 2013) celebrating the bicentennial anniversary of Austen's novel. Gentlemen dressed up as dandies in so-called 'Wellington boots' - knee-high footwear at the height of regency fashion - and perfectly-tied silk cravats

Guests had a regency themed five course dinner at the Pride and Prejudice Regency Ball, 7.30-11pm