GADSHILL PLACE,
the last residence of Charles Dickens. It is situated on the left-hand side, nearly opposite the Falstaff Inn. The house was purchased by him on the 14th of March 1856, for £1790; and he afterwards projected and carried out many costly additions and improvements thereto. On the first-floor landing is displayed an illuminated frame (the work of Mr. Owen Jones), which reads as follows:—
“This House, Gadshill Place, stands on the summit of Shakespeare’s Gadshill, ever memorable for its association with Sir John Falstaff in his noble fancy—‘But, my lads, my lads, to-morrow morning, by four o’clock, early at Gadshill! there are pilgrims going to Canterbury with rich offerings, and traders riding to London with fat purses: I have vizards for you all; you have horses for yourselves.’”
On this residence Dickens had fixed his choice in his boyish days. It had always held a prominent place amid the recollections connected with his childhood. Forster says that “upon first seeing it as he came from Chatham with his father, and looking up at it with admiration, he had been promised that he might live in it himself, or some such house, when he came to be a man, if he would only work hard enough.” It is pleasant to record that this ambition was gratified in after life, when the dream of his boyhood was realised.
In the contiguous shrubbery was placed a Swiss Chalet, presented to Dickens by his friend Mr. Fechter, which arrived from Paris in ninety-four pieces, fitting like the joints of a puzzle. Our author was fond of working in this chalet during the summer months; and in it, much of the material of his latest work was prepared.
In sad association with Gadshill Place, we must refer to the unexpected Death of Charles Dickens, which occurred here on the 9th of June 1870. He had been feeling weary and fatigued for some days previous to this date, but had nevertheless continued to work with cheerfulness, writing in the chalet, in preparation of the sixth number of “Edwin Drood.” On the 8th of June, whilst at dinner, he was suddenly attacked with apoplexy, and never spoke afterwards; and on the evening of the following day—with one rolling tear and one deep sigh—his gentle spirit soared beyond these earthly shadows,
“Into the Land of the Great Departed,
Into the Silent Land.”
An interval being allowed for refreshments at the Falstaff Inn, à discrétion, we may resume the road onwards to the nearest station of Higham—about a mile distant—whence the South-Eastern Railway may be taken for the homeward journey. At five miles’ distance we reach Gravesend, which is situated at the foot of the hills, extending for some two miles on the south side of the Thames. This town is the boundary of the port of London, at which many outward and homeward bound vessels on foreign service receive or discharge their passengers and freight. As we pass this station we may remember that in chapter 57 of “David Copperfield,” Gravesend is referred to as the starting-point of Mr. Peggotty and his niece, emigrating to Australia, and accompanied by Martha, Mrs. Gummidge, and the Micawber family. The parting with his friends David describes as follows:—
“We went over the side into our boat, and lay at a little distance to see the ship wafted on her course. It was then calm, radiant sunset. She lay between us and the red light, and every taper line and spar was visible against the glow. A sight at once so beautiful, so mournful, and so hopeful, as the glorious ship lying still on the flushed water, with all the life on board her crowded at the bulwarks, and there clustering for a moment, bareheaded and silent, I never saw. Silent, only for a moment. As the sails rose to the wind, and the ship began to move, there broke from all the boats three resounding cheers, which those on board took up and echoed back, and which were echoed and re-echoed . . . Surrounded by the rosy light . . . they solemnly passed away.”
Continuing the homeward journey by South-Eastern Railway, the Rambler will arrive in due course at the station of Greenwich, eighteen miles from Gravesend. Here alighting, a short walk eastward, on the south side of the line—through London Street, turning right by end of Church Street—will lead us to the entrance of Greenwich Park. This well-known place of popular resort was referred to by Dickens in his first contributions to the Evening Chronicle, 1835, which were afterwards collected under the name of “Sketches by Boz.” The sketch is entitled “Greenwich Fair,” and gives descriptions of the doings in the park at that festival, as holden aforetime in this locality—
“The principal amusement is to drag young ladies up the steep hill which leads to the Observatory, and then drag them down again at the very top of their speed, greatly to the derangement of their curls and bonnet-caps, and much to the edification of lookers-on from below.”
From the Park entrance we may now proceed towards the river by Church Street, on the left hand of which, past London Street, stands the Church of St. Alphege, a handsome edifice in classic style. The happy wedding of Bella Wilfer and John Rokesmith, otherwise Harmon, here took place, in the presence of a “gruff and glum old pensioner” from the neighbouring hospital, with two wooden legs. We may also recall the circumstance of Mr. and Mrs. Boffin’s attendance, that worthy couple being hid away near the church organ.
Following the route northward, we may soon reach King William Street, by the river side, in which is situated Quartermaine’s Ship Tavern. This is the place where the “lovely woman” and her father once dined together on the occasion of their “innocent elopement.” (See “Our Mutual Friend,” chapter 8, Book 2.) It may be also remembered as the hotel at which was celebrated the wedding dinner of Mr. and Mrs. Rokesmith aforesaid, “dear little Pa” being the honoured guest of that blissful opportunity. We may here also recollect the dignified bearing of the head waiter—The Archbishop of Greenwich—“a solemn gentleman in black clothes and a white cravat, who looked much more like a clergyman than the clergyman, and seemed to have mounted a great deal higher in the church.”
Leaving Greenwich, a short ride of twenty minutes (six miles), following the course of the river, will bring us to the Charing Cross Terminus, in central London.
RAMBLE VII
Excursion to Canterbury and Dover
Route by London, Chatham and Dover Railway, viâ Sittingbourne and Faversham to Canterbury; The Queen’s Head Inn, “the little hotel” patronised by the Micawbers—By Mercery Lane and Christ Church Gate to Cathedral Close for King’s School, the Establishment at which David Copperfield was educated—Dr. Strong’s House—The Fleur de Lys Hotel; Mr. Dick’s stopping-place at Canterbury—The George and Dragon Inn; the old London Coach Office—Palace Street and Church of St. Alphege; the scene of Dr. Strong’s marriage to Miss Annie Markleham—No. 65 North Lane, the “’umble dwelling” of Uriah Heep, afterwards the residence of the Micawber Family—71 St. Dunstan Street; Mr. Wickfield’s house, and Home of Agnes—Canterbury to Dover—Corner of Church and Castle Streets, Market Place; David’s resting-place—Priory Hill, Stanley Mount; Miss Betsy Trotwood’s Residence—“The King’s Head”; Mr. Lorry, Lucie Manette, and Miss Pross—The Staplehurst Disaster—Postscript to “Our Mutual Friend.”
The excursion proposed in Ramble VI. to Chatham, Rochester, Gadshill, etc. (see page 82), could be advantageously extended to include Canterbury and Dover, for visiting the localities in these towns associated with the history of David Copperfield.
Beyond Chatham the journey is continued on the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, by three minor stations to Sittingbourne, formerly a favourite resting-place for pilgrims (as its name would seem to indicate) en route for Canterbury; but the modern mode of travel only now necessitates a halt of twenty minutes. Passing Teynsham and Faversham, the train proceeds by the intermediate station of Selling, to the fair old city of