Gadshill News

Why is there scaffolding on the roof around the cupola of Charles Dickens home, Gad's Hill Place (Gad’s)?

The cupola is said to get a mention in Dicken's A Christmas Carol.  On the 12^th January this year, Gad’s tours organiser and branch member Claire Hitchcock and Steve Martin were escorted to the roof and shown the extensive deterioration of the main cupola wooden supports. Being a Grade 1 listed building, Gad’s Hill School are working with Clay Architects to repair the cupola and other remedial work. To this end, and overseen by representatives from the architects, Dickens Fellowship and Dickens Pickwick Club, on Thursday 4^th April the cupola was removed from the roof and taken away for expert repair. Further details have been submitted to The Dickensian journal on this and Gad’s Hill School’s future aspirations for Gad’s Hill Place.