Situated in Eastgate Gardens, Rochester, The Charles Dickens’ Writing Chalet is the private space where one of the world’s greatest authors wrote some of his best loved works. Gifted to Dickens in 1864 when he lived at nearby Gad’s Hill, this fragile Grade I listed building is currently in a state of disrepair with only limited access.

Medway Council in partnership with The Friends of Eastgate House and The Dickens Fellowship have been awarded a Stage I development grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This will enable us to develop plans to restore the chalet and open it up for future generations to enjoy.

Charles Dickens’ Writing Chalet was a place of peace and imagination – a personal retreat where the author found inspiration and space to write. Originally located in the gardens of his home at Gad’s Hill, the upper floor offered views across the marshes and a quiet stillness that nurtured creativity.

It’s said Dickens used mirrors placed around the room to rehearse his characters aloud, refining the voices that would later shape his novels and plays. The Chalet was, quite simply, where stories came to life.

Today, the Chalet stands in the gardens of Eastgate House in Rochester — quietly present but in a state of disrepair and largely inaccessible to the public.

In partnership with our volunteer group, The Friends of Eastgate House, we will fully restore the chalet with conservation led repairs using traditional techniques.

The chalet will become more physically accessible for visitors than ever before. It will be fully interpreted for the first time with an imaginative and inclusive interpretation scheme on both floors, and a Victorian sensory garden around the chalet, reflecting its original ‘Wilderness Garden’ setting at Dickens’ Gad’s Hill home.

Our expansive community engagement plan links directly with Dickens’ multi-faceted heritage – his life not just as a writer but also a passionate social campaigner. We want to involve as many people as possible with an exciting range of arts and cultural experiences, training placements and learning opportunities - all inspired by the stories Dickens wrote inside the chalet and the issues he really cared about.

Our project development phase will be completed in Spring 2027. We will then apply for the second stage of funding which is the delivery phase. If we are successful, this would start in Spring 2028 and last 36 months completing in Spring 2031.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund requires match funding or partnership funding for larger grants. The Friends of Eastgate House are working hard to raise funds to support our project. If you would like to help us with a donation, please click here on the donation link on this page.

Thank you for your support!

Once a vibrant space of creative energy, it has become overlooked and underused — a hidden part of Dickens’ legacy in need of care, attention, and a renewed purpose.