“A day in London sets me up and starts me”, wrote Charles Dickens in 1846. Old Charlie never got to experience the joys of the Central Line on a Monday rush hour, or he might have said something rather different.
Still, no writer is connected so intricately with London as Dickens, and since he’s famed for the beloved Christmas classic A Christmas Carol, we might as well celebrate him by telling you about this handy Charles Dickens tour of London—we’ll even throw in a pitstop or two, in the form of Scrooge’s favourite pub and Dickens’ former publishing house, which is now a swish wine bar in Covent Garden.
1. Visit the Dickens Museum
Yeah, it’s an obvious start, but 48 Doughty Street is where some of his best works were written, and where he began to hit the heights of fame. Oliver Twist, The Pickwick Papers, and Nicholas Nickleby were all penned here, and it contains first editions, letters, and even his old writing desk. Hosting tours, talks, and special events, the Dickens Museum is surely worth a visit.
48 Doughty Street, WC1N 2LX.
2. Browse in The Old Curiosity Shop
Even if it wasn’t the inspiration for a Dickens novel, this place would still be fascinating. The Old Curiosity Shop was built from the timbers of old ships, and stoically weathered the Great Fire of London and the Blitz. It makes for a pretty nice present, too: Charles II reportedly gave it as a gift to one of his mistresses. It’s most recently been a shoe shop stocking some truly bizarre creations, the place is worth a visit if you’re in the Holborn area. However, the shop currently sits unused as it is temporarily closed, but it is expected to be let out as another shop. Still, it’s a good sight to tick off on your Dickens tour of London.
13-14 Portsmouth Street, Holborn, WC2A 2ES.
3. Enjoy a pint at one of Scrooge’s go-to pubs
In Dickens’ beloved novel A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is said to have taken “his melancholy dinner in his usual melancholy tavern”, and although Dickens doesn’t name said tavern in the book directly, much speculation has circulated to find out which one it could’ve been!
Some believe that it was the recently-closed Simpson’s Tavern in the City of London, as well as other square mile favourites like the George and Vulture, which also gets a shout-out in The Pickwick Papers. Dickens is also connected to the beloved boozer on Fleet Street, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, famed for being one of the oldest pubs in London.
4. Check out the impressive Mansion House
While we’re on the topic of Scrooge, The Mansion House also carries a festive connection to A Christmas Carol. Rarely open to the public (tours are sometimes available), this iconic building is the home and office of the Lord Mayor to the City of London. Dickens describes the grandiose building vividly in his beloved novel, telling the reader that “The Lord Mayor, in the stronghold of the mighty Mansion House, gave orders to his fifty cooks and butlers to keep Christmas as a Lord Mayor’s Household should…”
Walbrook, London EC4N 8BH
5. Wander around Seven Dials
Nowadays, Seven Dials is filled with tourists and theatregoers. However, back in Victorian times, the area was a notorious slum, filled with scoundrels, thieves, and prostitutes. Dickens roamed the filthy alleys of Seven Dials, writing portraits he’d put into his first major work, Sketches by Boz. The only remnant of this time is The Escapologist, a cocktail bar with a decidedly Victorian theme. Having said that, the scandalous crowd that once patronised the local taverns are nowhere to be seen. Goddamn gentrification! For a full round-up of things to do in the area, click here.
6. Visit Dickens’ former publishing house
Nestled within the very building that was once Charles Dickens’ publishing house, Plume Wine Bar is an absolute must if you’re looking to honour Dickens with some contemporary flare, and of course, a couple glasses of vino! This elegant two-story bar in Covent Garden is the same place where Dickens penned A Tale of Two Cities. The bar even hosts a special evening where you can pass secret notes to other tables and we feel Dickens would approve. For more information, check out our article here.
26 Wellington St, London WC2E 7DD
7. Explore the streets of Clerkenwell
To the average eye, Clerkenwell looks and feels like any other neighbourhood in central London, but it holds a darker past that was key inspiration for the grimy, crime-ridden den of Fagin and his pickpockets in Oliver Twist. As a former Victorian slum, this now idolised area of the capital still possesses vestiges of its storied past all over the place, including historic pubs and ancient buildings. It is said that Saffron Hill was the street that inspired Dickens to conjure up those darker plot points in the beloved tale, so be sure to keep that in mind the next time you’re exploring Clerkenwell and Farringdon.
8. Take a trip to Broadstairs
When you’re a Victorian author writing about poverty, crime, and the miseries of London life, you’re going to want a decent holiday. Charles got his by escaping to Broadstairs, a lovely seaside town less than two hours from London. Stay at Bleak House, the stately house in which the author wrote David Copperfield, and visit yet another museum dedicated to him. If you visit in June, the town throws a Dickens Festival, which seems like a jolly good excuse to lark about in Victorian garb. Finally, stop at Morelli’s; Dickens definitely never visited, but this ice cream parlour makes a mean sundae.
Trains to Broadstairs run regularly from Cannon Street, Victoria, and St Pancras.