Any England literary tours worth their salt should include a stop at Jane Austen’s House Museum in Chawton, Hampshire—definitively, the most famous of the historic homes of Jane Austen. Here, Austen spent the last eight years of her life and wrote all six of her completed novels. These days, the House Museum is a repository of all things Austen, full of noteworthy items such as Jane’s personal letters, writing table, and even first editions of her novels.

While many Bath and Hampshire tours include top Austen-adjacent spots—including the aforementioned—few feature Montacute House, a filming location for Emma Thompson’s Oscar-winning adaptation of Sense and Sensibility (1995). Montacute House was used as the home of the Palmers, where Marianne (played by Kate Winslet) is caught in the rain and must be cared for by Colonel Brandon (the late Alan Rickman).

Derbyshire is the ideal place for scoping out Pride and Prejudice locations. Make a beeline for Chatsworth House—the filming location for Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation, then drive an hour south to reach Sudbury Hall, where the 1995 BBC adaptation filmed its Pemberley interiors. However, if you want to see where that scene from Pride and Prejudice (1995)—aka Mr. Darcy emerging from the lake—was filmed, head to Lyme Park in neighboring Cheshire.

Salisbury, the home of Stonehenge and a regular stop on day trips from London, is perhaps not the place you immediately think of for classic literature trips in England. However, Wilton House—which has been a filming location for everything from Outlander to The Crown—has seen many Austen adaptations, too. Emma. (2020), Pride and Prejudice (2005), and Sense and Sensibility (1995) have all filmed here.

Just like Bath, the Cotswolds—a county-spanning region in southern England—have become deeply associated with Austen over the years, also appearing in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. Lacock is easily the most notable of the Cotswolds villages with an Austen claim-to-fame: Not only was it Meryton in Pride and Prejudice (1995), but it also appeared in 1995’s Pride and Prejudice. Lower Slaughter (yes, really) was seen as Highbury in Emma. (2020), as was Stanway.

If you’re a stan of the 1995 BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice—who isn’t?—make your way to Belton House, Lincolnshire. Here, the stately home stood in for the insufferable Lady Catherine De Bourgh’s palatial residence, as well as the place Darcy wrote his letter to Lizzie, post–proposal (the first one). Take a peek inside the house, or explore the formal gardens while you’re there, before taking yourself off to explore the historic (and underrated) city of Lincoln.

Persuasion is the Austen novel that the real fans ride-or-die for, and you can see where the 2007 BBC adaptation was shot in Wiltshire at Sheldon Manor—aka Uppercross. Though you can’t visit the interiors of this gorgeous property, the gardens are open for visitors. Though it’s situated some two hours south of Sheldon Manor, you should also make a point to pass through Lyme Regis if Persuasion is your Austen novel of choice. That’s where Louisa falls at the Cobb (aka the Lyme Regis Harbour).

As one of the most adapted Austen novels, there are plenty of Emmas to choose from. However, you can’t deny that the 2020 version is a fan favorite. This version was also shot in East Sussex, where Firle Place stood in for the exterior of Emma’s home. If you want to visit, keep in mind that the home is only open to the public during the summer, though you can make a full day of it by visiting Brighton: It's one of England’s most LGBTQ+–friendly destinations and it’s great for indie food tours.

Though Jane herself never lived here, Stoneleigh Abbey in Kenilworth was the home of her mother’s family for centuries, and she paid it a visit in 1806. It’s fairly well accepted that the Chapel in Mansfield Park is based on the Chapel at Stoneleigh, while other elements and details of the house pop up in many of her works. If you’re interested in Mansfield Park locations but can’t make it to Kenilworth, seek out Kenwood House on in London instead, which featured in the 1999 adaptation.