Haddon Hall 'secrets' charmed directors

By chris mallett cmallett@derbytelegraph.co.uk

DRAMATIC scenes for a new big-budget adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre have been filmed in the Derbyshire countryside.

Both Haddon Hall and the grounds of Chatsworth House feature in the romantic movie, starring Jamie Bell and Dame Judi Dench, and set for UK release in September.

And now the film's director and its crew have told of the delights and pitfalls of filming in the county.

Chatsworth was used as the setting for the first meeting between Jane and her eventual husband, Edward Rochester.

The crew found a spot at top of the gardens to set the scene where Rochester's horse rears as Jane suddenly appears and startles it.

Director Cary Fukunaga said the eventual shots were worth it but that the film crew found themselves at the mercy of the weather – including freezing rain and high winds.

He said: "What the audience won't know is that we were thick with mud, and that visibility was down to 100 yards."

Adriano Goldman, the man behind the film's cinematography, said consistency in the filming was tricky.

He said: "We always tried to shoot outside when the light was best, but we had to be consistent with the mood that Cary had established from the beginning.

"So when there was no fog we'd have to bring some in using special effects."

Haddon Hall and its surroundings were used as the set for Thornfield Hall, the venue for much of the story, because of the way its features have been preserved.

Production designer Will Hughes-Jones said the hall held a lot of secrets that helped with filming.

He said: "We were walking around with custodians of the building, and said how we needed a secret door for the cast to go through.

"One of the custodians said, 'Like this?' and pulled back a tapestry – and there was a secret door.

"You can get lost in Haddon Hall for hours. It can feel dark and frightening, but then again, when the sun is shining on it, it's a beautiful place."

Mr Fukunaga said the craggy rocks around the hall gave it a "darker and more oppressive look".

Janet Blackwell, manager at Haddon Hall, said filming days were long and hectic but enjoyable.

She said: "From the moment the trailers arrived in the car park, there was a real buzz about the place.

"Once filming had finished, and the props all cleared out, Haddon seemed quiet."

The movie stars Mia Wasikowska as Jane, Michael Fassbender as Rochester, Jamie Bell as St John Rivers and Judi Dench as Mrs Fairfax.