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Behind the Scenes: Filming 'Sense and Sensibility' in the West Country

Location manager Ian Hutchinson discusses the challenges and beauty of filming the Jane Austen adaptation 'Sense and Sensibility' across Dorset, Devon, Hertfordshire, and Oxfordshire.

  • Dorset's Kingston Maurward House and Parnham Park were used to depict Norland Park.
  • A derelict stone shell in Dartmoor National Park was transformed into Barton Cottage with a custom-built set.
  • Filming in Dartmoor presented logistical challenges, including weather changes and bat conservation requirements.

The 1995 film adaptation of Jane Austen's 'Sense and Sensibility' brought the Dashwood sisters' story to life using various English landscapes, with location manager Ian Hutchinson highlighting the West Country as a key filming area. Hutchinson stated, "We just fell in love with the West Country, Devon and Dorset."

Norland Park, the Dashwood family's initial home, was recreated using Kingston Maurward House for its architecture and Parnham Park for its lake. For Barton Cottage, the more modest home the sisters move to, the production team selected a derelict stone shell deep within Dartmoor National Park near Plymouth. A custom two-storey stage set was constructed inside the ruined walls to facilitate filming.

Filming in Dartmoor presented several challenges, including contending with a bat's nest, which required an ecological survey and a permit. The remote location also led to logistical difficulties with weather and supplies, with Hutchinson noting, "One moment we'd have glorious blue sunshine, and the next we could have driving rain with thunder and lightning." Additionally, Haytor in Dartmoor served as a backdrop for a travelling montage.

Other locations included Knebworth House in Hertfordshire and Broughton Castle near Banbury, Oxfordshire, which were combined to represent Cleveland House during a pivotal scene where Marianne falls ill.

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