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Charles Dickens' Kent home to open to the public | Charles Dickens' Kent home to open to the public |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The former Kent home of Charles Dickens will be opened to the public for the first time since his death in 1870, it has been announced. | The former Kent home of Charles Dickens will be opened to the public for the first time since his death in 1870, it has been announced. |
Gad's Hill Place in Higham has been used as a school since the 1920s but pupils are moving into new buildings. | Gad's Hill Place in Higham has been used as a school since the 1920s but pupils are moving into new buildings. |
Head teacher David Craggs said it "wasn't designed for the 21st Century". | Head teacher David Craggs said it "wasn't designed for the 21st Century". |
Dickens penned classic novels such as Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities during his time in the Grade I listed Georgian property. | Dickens penned classic novels such as Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities during his time in the Grade I listed Georgian property. |
His study was used by Mr Craggs as his office, while the original living rooms were turned into classrooms. | His study was used by Mr Craggs as his office, while the original living rooms were turned into classrooms. |
'Rare honour' | 'Rare honour' |
Now, with the completion of the first phase of a multi-million pound project to build two new school buildings in the grounds, one of them - the John Melville Building - has been officially opened by the Portsmouth-born author's great great granddaughter, Marion Dickens. | |
Spanning two floors, the new school boasts a large sports hall, theatre/concert hall, a dining area, an ensemble and performance room as well as two performance spaces and academic classrooms for kindergarten and junior schoolchildren. | Spanning two floors, the new school boasts a large sports hall, theatre/concert hall, a dining area, an ensemble and performance room as well as two performance spaces and academic classrooms for kindergarten and junior schoolchildren. |
Mr Craggs said thousands of children had had "the rare honour of being able to learn English in what was Charles Dickens' bedroom". | Mr Craggs said thousands of children had had "the rare honour of being able to learn English in what was Charles Dickens' bedroom". |
"However, this old building can no longer keep up with the demands of modern day education," he said. | "However, this old building can no longer keep up with the demands of modern day education," he said. |
"While I will miss the unique privilege of running a school from the great man's own study, I feel that we have built a new school of the highest quality and standard that the 21st Century can provide, which is only right for our truly outstanding students." | "While I will miss the unique privilege of running a school from the great man's own study, I feel that we have built a new school of the highest quality and standard that the 21st Century can provide, which is only right for our truly outstanding students." |
Marion Dickens said she hoped that by turning Dickens' house into a visitor attraction "people that love his books will be able to walk in through his door [and] feel that same magic that actually I always feel." | Marion Dickens said she hoped that by turning Dickens' house into a visitor attraction "people that love his books will be able to walk in through his door [and] feel that same magic that actually I always feel." |
She said Gad's Hill was "where he wrote, where he lived, where he threw wonderful parties, [and] where his children were brought up". | She said Gad's Hill was "where he wrote, where he lived, where he threw wonderful parties, [and] where his children were brought up". |
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