Historic English town that inspired Charles Dickens’ best stories – and winter is the best time of year to visit
ROCHESTER is thought to have inspired Charles Dickens more than any other town in the UK.
Located in Kent, Dickens is said to have spent his childhood in the Medway town, with its buildings inspiring the Victorian author.
Outside of London, Rochester claims to be the UK town that inspired Charles Dickens the most.
One place in Rochester where the prolific author took inspiration was Restoration House.
The Elizabethan Townhouse inspired the home of Estella and Miss Havisham in Great Expectations.
Rochester was used as a filming location for the 1989 version of Great Expectations that starred Anthony Hopkins and Jean Simmons.
Nowadays, Restoration House is open to the public, with visitors able to explore the walled gardens and rare collections of poetry.
Other buildings that have been immortalised by the author include Travellers House and the Guildhall Museum.
The neighbouring Eastgate House, a Grade-I listed building, also featured in the works of Charles Dickens.
Dating back to the 16th century, the townhouse underwent a huge £2.2million renovation project in recent years.
Garden visitors can explore the author’s chalet, which was once located at his home at Gad’s Hill Place in Higham.
For fans of the author, December is arguably the best time to visit – and it’s not just because a version of the Christmas Carol will be playing on the telly.
Every year, Rochester plays host to the Dickensian Christmas Festival.
The Victorian festival celebrates the work of Charles Dickens, with street performers and costumed characters filling the streets.
This year’s festival will be held on December 7 and December 8, with a Mistletoe Costumed Ball taking place on December 6.
Away from Charles Dickens, Rochester is packed with even more history too.
The Medway town is also home to Rochester Castle – a Norman keep that boasts panoramic views of the River Medway.
There’s also Rochester Cathedral.
Dating back to 604 AD, Rochester Cathedral is thought to be the second oldest cathedral in the country.
Its high street is also lined with independent shops, cafes and traditional pubs.
Brits who want to follow in the footsteps of Charles Dickens will want to head for a swift drink at The Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel where the famous writer is thought to have stayed.
Rochester is a 90-minute drive from London and it’s a 45-minute drive to Ashford.
The other UK town that inspired Charles Dickens
BURY St Edmunds in Suffolk may appear to be a typical British town, but it has a fascinating history all of its own.
Included in that is its inclusion as a setting in Dickens’ novel Pickwick papers.
The town, and the Angel Hotel, both feature very prominently in the novel; the Victorian author is known to have stayed in the accommodation on several occasions.
Fittingly, the town was also chosen as the setting for the 2019 film The Personal History of David Copperfield, with the hotel appearing on the screen.
Actor Dev Patel and his co-stars, including Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie and Peter Capaldi were filmed throughout the town as they brought the story to a new audience.
The Angel is still up and running and is now a boutique 4 star hotel right in the centre of town, famed for its ivy-clad walls.
It’s not the only famous Bury St Edmunds establishment that Dickens used to frequent, with the Nutshell also said to be a favourite haunt of the writer.
Meanwhile, this is the smallest town in the UK – and it has a Michelin starred restaurant.
And this UK village has been compared to a 1940s film set.