Kent's Literary Heritage
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The landscape, buildings and people of Kent have provided inspiration for writers for centuries. Whether the writers were natives of the county itself or came as visitors, its coastline, orchards, towns and villages have helped shape the imaginations of some of the most influential of English authors. Among the many writers associated with Kent is Geoffrey Chaucer, who set his famous Canterbury Tales on the pilgrims’ route to Thomas Becket’s shrine in Canterbury Cathedral. Charles Dickens spent his formative years in Kent and later returned to the county when he bought his mansion Gads Hill Place and his holiday home at Broadstairs. Kent provided the setting for many of his novels. Charles Darwin worked on his groundbreaking theory of evolution at his Kentish home, Down House; Winston Churchill produced much of his finest writing whilst living at Chartwell; Ian Fleming visited the county regularly and it features often in the Bond novels; H. E. Bates’ popular Darling Buds of May stories are set in the heart of rural Kent where he himself lived for many years. This book explores the fascinating history of Kent’s remarkable literary heritage as well as being a guide to the locations where that heritage can still be found.
Margaret Woodhams was born in Kent and attended school in the county before going to the University of Lancaster. She studied for her PGCE at Christ Church University at Canterbury and became a secondary school English teacher. She took early retirement a few years ago and since then has become a guide in Canterbury Cathedral which has fostered her interest in local history and archaeology.