Gads Hill Place

Gads Hill Place at Higham, Kent was the house where Charles Dickens lived after making his fortune as the most successful British author of his generation. Charles Dickens first saw the mansion when he was 9 years old in 1821, and told his father that he would like to live there some day. His father told him that if he worked hard enough, his dream may come true. The house was built in the Queen Anne style. Thirty six years later, after Dickens had risen to fame and wealth, his dream did come true. He lived there until his death in 1870. He wrote many of his later works in the summer house in the grounds of the house. The summer house has been preserved and moved to Rochester as a memorial to the writer. This building was built in the style of a Swiss cottage. In 1924 the house became Gad's Hill School. full article at wikipedia