Charles Dickens Rochester and Kent Day Tour

The local Pub is called The Leather Bottle Inn. This is the Pub that is featured in Pickwick Papers and the pub where Dickens took his secret lovers!

The best kept secret in the County of Kent is next to the local Church, St Mary Magdalene; The New College of Cobham. It was built in 1360 to house the new priests who were studying there and were accommodated little cottages. However, in 1531 Henry VIII dissolved the Monasteries and the Monks were killed. The College remained empty for many years until Lord Cobham made them into Arms Houses, for the poor of the Parish of Cobham.

This was first seen by Dickens when walking with his father when he was a small boy. He announced to his Father that one day I will live here and he did! His study in the house and where he died remains as it was. Dickens built a wooden Swiss chalet in grounds over the main road from his house. This become his place of solace where he could write. He penned here Pickwick Papers, Great Expectations, A Tale of two Cities to name but a few. This house is currently a private school.

Built in the 1200s, it still has some original pews remaining which, Dickens would have most definitely used. The graveyard was where he based the opening scenes in Great Expectations, where Pip has his first encounter with Magwitch, who escaped from the prison ship taking prisoners to Australia. You can still see the Thames from here from the graveyard. Pip was laying some flowers at the grave of his Mother and his five brothers. In fact, there are Thirteen babies’ graves, these are from two families. They all died of marsh fever, now known as Malaria.

We finish the tour visiting the wonderfully historic city of Rochester and its Dickensian main street full of connections to the life and works of Charles Dickens.

Dating from 1590, this townhouse was a family home, then a Boarding School and now a Museum. It features in his first and last novels. The house appears as Westgate house in The Pickwick Papers and as Miss Twinkletons Seminary for young ladies in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. At the back of the house in the gardens is Dickens, original Swiss Chalet, which has now been moved here from Gads Hill Place. Opposite Eastgate house is Mr Pumblechooks house featured in Great Expectations and The Mystery of Edwin Drood as the offices of Mr Sapsea, the Auctioneer. This building dates to 1694.

The home of Miss Havisham was based on this house. King Charles II stayed here in 1660 on his return from exile from France just before he was crowned King.

This was the path that Pip took on his way to see Miss Havisham. And it was in this park that Dickens was seen leaning against a fence two days before he died. This park was formerly the vineyard of Rochester Cathedral and monasteries.

The Cathedral, which is the second oldest in the country and dates from 604, and it is mentioned several times in Dickens novels. His wish was to be buried here, but Queen Victoria thought it not fitting and insisted he should be buried in Westminster Abbey

The Castle was first built in 1127 by the Normans. There was a siege in 1215 by King John against the Barons of England who held it. Parts of the Castle were destroyed, but then was rebuilt by Henry III.

People who have stayed here are, Ann of Cleves, Henry VIII 4th wife, Queen Mary, Henry VIII first daughter, King Philip of Spain and King Charles I.

In addition to his 15 full length novels, Dickens also wrote several short stories. One of these was The Seven Poor Travellers, in which Dickens himself, as narrator, become the seventh traveller. The house was founded by Richard Watts, MP for Rochester in 1563 as a charity for six poor travellers to receive a nights free lodging.