Visitors to the Kent coast can now experience the seaside town of Broadstairs through the eyes of legendary author Charles Dickens, thanks to a new interactive digital trail. By scanning barcodes on free flyers distributed around the town, holidaymakers and residents can unlock hidden literary stories and expert commentary as they walk.
Self-Guided Route Developed by Academics and Digital Specialists
Academics from Canterbury Christ Church University collaborated with digital specialists at Gazooky Studios to create the self-guided route. Users can explore key historic locations at their own pace while learning how Victorian writers and locals viewed the famous novelist. Participants can pick up paper flyers at the Broadstairs Dickens Museum and Bleak House to access the smartphone guide. The route leads to notable stops like Fort House, where Dickens sat in an upstairs room writing his classic works.
Insights from Victorian Literature Expert
Professor Carolyn Oulton, professor of Victorian literature at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: "We've had great fun exploring Dickens's time in Broadstairs, not just in his own words, but also through the memories and responses of Victorian literary tourists and local residents. One woman remembered being told to keep her children quiet while he was working!"
Expert Commentary and Local Heritage
Michelle Crowther, academic librarian at the university, added: "This is a great opportunity to experience Broadstairs through Dickens’s eyes and with expert commentary." The initiative forms part of the university's wider effort to make local heritage freely available through modern technology. The promotional artwork for the project was designed by Canterbury Christ Church University alumna Heather Murdoch.
Encouraging Return Visits to the Coast
Organisers hope the experience gives summer visitors a fresh reason to return to the coast year after year. Rose Kay, from Gazooky Studios, said: "Creating Dickens' Broadstairs was an exciting project for us. His connection to the town is so rich and personal, and yet so much of it is invisible unless you know where to look. Our platform leads visitors to places like Fort House where they can look up at the very room where Dickens sat and wrote, and hear his voice tell them why that spot mattered to him. It turns a quiet street corner into a doorway back into his world."
