GREAT expectations

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

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I met Charles Dickens today, except he had clearly been so busy working on The Mystery of Edwin Drood that he had 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 in 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, while Willow had most definitely 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' garden at Gad's Hill Place, around 15 minutes away in Higham. It was here that he did much of his writing, including his final words for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, left unfinished just a day before his death.

But back to Jaggers, which has fine views of both Rochester Castle and the splendid cathedral, and makes the perfect spot for sitting in the sunshine, enjoying lunch and taking in the atmosphere.

What the Dickens!

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 famous author, thanks to the many visits that he made here throughout his life.