GREAT EXPECTATIONS

The Garden of England provides Susan Taylor with a wonderful mix, from literary connections to good eating by the sea

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"I met Charles Dickens today, except he'd been so busy working on The Mystery of Edwin Drood that he'd fallen asleep, so I didn't get to speak to him!” I laughingly proclaimed to Ro when we met up for lunch at Jaggers Eatery in Rochester.

He had been walking our pup, Willow, around Watts Meadow to give her a break from the city pavements while I visited Eastgate House, where dogs are not allowed.

I can't say Ro was overly impressed with my literary meeting, and Willow had clearly enjoyed her sniffari and was more interested in a snooze over lunch than in listening to my story.

Nevertheless, I did regale them with my newly acquired knowledge about the house and the Swiss Chalet in the garden, which was originally installed in Dickens' own garden at Gad's Hill Place, around 15 minutes away in Higham. It was here he did much of his writing, including the last words on the unfinished Mystery of Edwin Drood just a day before his death.

What the Dickens!

But back to Jaggers, which has fine views of both Rochester Castle and the cathedral, and is the perfect spot to sit in the sunshine, enjoy lunch and take in the atmosphere.

Its name is, as with many establishments here, a nod to Dickens connections - in this case, the lawyer in Great Expectations. Another example is Restoration House - whose name stems from an overnight stay in 1660 by Charles II on his way to being restored to the throne - which was the inspiration for Miss Havisham's home in the same novel. There are numerous buildings in town with links to the author, thanks to the many visits that he made here throughout his life.