P and P Tours
P and P Tours organises tours of the filming locations used in many period-drama adaptations, including one of the most popular of all time — the 1995 BBC mini-series version of Pride and Prejudice, starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Wherever possible, P and P Tours offers accommodation in actual filming locations.
Their 4-day "Pride and Prejudice tour" includes visits to all of the filming locations used in the mini-series; Rosings, Pemberley, Netherfield, the church where Lizzie and Darcy marry, and Hunsford Parsonage, to name a few. There is even a Georgian-style "Gala supper" in period costume at Longbourn on the itinerary!
Other tours on offer include the "Sense & Sensibility and Persuasion combined tour", "The 'Box of Delights' tour" (a tour featuring locations from a selection of period-drama adaptations), and "The Downton Abbey & Upstairs Downstairs tour".
P and P Tours was set up by Helen Porter and her daughter Maddy in 2007 to share their personal passion with fans. Since then, Jane Austen expert Hazel Jones has joined the team.
Interview with P and P Tours
P and P Tours kindly agreed to chat to us about their company and their thoughts on period dramas in general.
Hello P and P Tours! Thanks so much for agreeing to talk with us. Could you please tell us a little bit about how you came to set up your exciting tour company?
It started by accident in a way! I arranged a surprise 18th birthday tour for my daughter Maddy to as many P&P locations as I could find. We have watched the DVD at least 5 times a year since she was tiny. Everywhere we went, people asked us to offer the tour as a holiday so they could be part of it. Then we began to research, contact the BBC and property owners and made it a reality!
P&P (1995) DVD
In your opinion, what is it that makes the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice so special?
Where do I start? Most of all it's the period authenticity, the costumes, sets, houses, and the script's faithfulness to the novel. And then there's Colin Firth!
The period-drama genre appears to have been increasing in popularity in recent years; why do you think this is so?
We are sure it's because people love to escape from the pressures of the modern world. We long for the simpler, gentler pace of life and manners of the past.
Whilst doing your research for the tours, have you ever been lucky enough to speak with any cast members?
Yes we have! We speak to them and their agents to pick up little nuggets of information about the productions we can share with our clients.
Is there one location in particular in any of your tours that the guests get especially excited about?
For me it's still Longbourn, the Bennet's home which is exactly as it appears in the production (see images below), and I have a very special attachment to Hunsford parsonage too. My heart still skips a beat when we arrive. And that never changes.
Do you have many solo travellers? I imagine that your tours are ideal for making new friends.
At least half of our travellers are solo ladies. As soon as we have the initial coffee people start to talk and find they have so much in common right away. People have become best friends as a result of meeting on tour. Everyone is so in tune, and we share the same private jokes and common language about the films and the actors.
Besides the British and Americans, which other nationalities are especially fanatical about period dramas, based on the participants you've had on your tours?
They come from every country in the world, we have people from Russia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Phillipines and many more. We are an international family. The Aussies are the most fun though!
I see on your website that you offer regency-style dresses for purchase or hire. Do you make these yourselves?
No we don't — we work in partnership with a specialist costume maker in Bath, who makes and hires the costumes for us.
What do you enjoy most about giving the tours?
My first love is still the personal joy I feel when I arrive at a location, but that's closely followed by the people. I feel like a mum to them all, and I love sharing my own passion and knowledge. It's a total privilege and I have to pinch myself that I'm running this wonderful business!
Are you working on any new tours for the future?
Yes — we've just negotiated a very special Jane Eyre 2006 tour where we have agreement to stay for the night in the actual building known to Charlotte Bronte and which inspired her to create Thornfield Hall. It has battlements and everything! We're including real life location of Charlotte and Emily as well as all the film locations.
Do you have any competitors?
No! We are the only operator going to the 1995 P&P locations, and what makes us unique is that we stay in filming locations and have inside knowledge of the productions. Our tours are bespoke and we offer the very personal service that we would want to experience ourselves.
Thank you very much for taking the time to answer these questions. I wish you all the very best with your tours and hope to join one sometime!
More information
For more information, such as dates, detailed itineraries, and prices, please visit the official website of P and P Tours: http://www.pandptours.co.uk/.
Both of the images below are screencaptures from the BBC's 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. They show Longbourn, the Bennett family home. The actual building is the privately owned Luckington Court, in Wiltshire. It can be visited through P and P Tours.
Top: Longbourn in winter. Bottom: The wedding of Lizzie (Jennifer Ehle) and Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth) at Longbourn.
Photo credit: Longbourn: Jane Austen Screencaps.
2011-02-25
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