Sitting in the shadow of another glorious cathedral is Rochester , a town which inspired one of the UK ’ s most heralded authors , Charles Dickens . Many of the buildings found on Rochester ' s historic high street , which in shape and style would not be unrecognisable to the author and his characters today , carry plaques detailing how they were incorporated into his novels . Dickens ' most impressionable childhood days were spent in Medway and it was the place he found inspiration for some of his works ' greatest characters and settings . Those wanting to take a deep dive into Dickens ' life and works , can do so at The Making of Mr Dickens , a permanent exhibition at The Guildhall Museum in Rochester . Visitors can enjoy an immersive journey through Dickens ’ life in Medway , while exploring the people and places which shaped his complex personal and public life and inspired him to create some of the best-loved stories in English literature .
OLIVER ’ S
ROMNEY MARSH SHEPHERDS HUTS
After visiting the exhibition , keep your day Dickensthemed by visiting either Peggotty ’ s Parlour ( www . peggottysparlour . co . uk ) for homemade tea and cake , or Oliver ’ s ( www . oliversrochester . com ) for crafted cocktails and a delicious dinner . If that ’ s still not enough Dickens to delight you , The City of Rochester Society offers free 90-minute walking tours ( April to October ) on selected days , or self-guided walking trails with map ‘ In Dickens ’ Footsteps ' available from Medway Visitor Information Centre for only £ 1 .
As well as the bustling streets of Victorian Rochester , the eerie quietness of the Romney Marsh was also to set Dickens ' imagination alight . The opening scenes of what is sometimes considered his best work , Great Expectations , describes them as : " A dark flat wilderness , intersected with dykes and mounds and gates , with scattered cattle feeding on it . The low leaden line of the river and the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing , the sea ." This unearthly scene can be visited to this very day , the churchyard at Cooling thought to be the meeting place of Pip and convict Magwitch . To really absorb the magic of the marsh , stay at Romney Marsh Shepherds Huts ( www . romneymarshshepherdshuts . co . uk ) under wide open starry skies and amidst creeping marsh mists , cosy and warm in the comfort of a luxury space with all the modern amenities you could need .
Another legendary British writer inspired by the extraordinary beauty of Kent ’ s countryside , was Jane Austen . Only a short time before Dickens , Austen was to reflect her grandiose visits to family and friends at some of the county ’ s most spectacular stately homes in several of her novels . An area awash with grand houses of this style that Austen would have been well acquainted lies in the valleys between Dover and Canterbury . Due to the success of the wool trade at the time , many houses were built within close proximity to one another , with plenty still standing today . When visiting the area , onlookers cannot help to envision carriages travelling to and fro - just as Austen and her characters would have done . A house frequented by Austen was that of her brother ’ s : Goodnestone Park ( www . goodnestonepark . co . uk ). Austen became a regular guest and following a stay in 1796 , she began writing her first novel , Pride and Prejudice . Today visitors can truly get ‘ lost in Austen ’ when visiting the house , which offers exquisitely designed bedrooms for staying guests , sympathetic to the house ’ s history and the novelist herself . Daytrippers walking Austen ’ s countryside can also get a taste of her time here , by paying a visit to the Old Dairy Café , serving locally sourced breakfasts , light lunches , homemade cakes and good coffee .
GOODNESTONE PARK
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