And I’m not joking. This really is a bargain (for those who have around £5M). For that, you could bag yourself Bleak House – the former summer home of Charles Dickens, and the very place where he wrote David Copperfield.
Imagine what a wonderful and inspirational place this would be to live in and run writers’ retreats at. I know this sounds like something that is going to lead to a punchline, but it isn’t. Plus it’s in a great location, right by the sea, so has wonderful sea views, and the icing on the cake is that it’s only about 20 minutes away from where I live, so I can come and visit you, (Yay! Right?).
I spotted the article about it in our local online newspaper (KM’s KentOnline) this week…
I would certainly dispute the last line on that snippet though – one of the most renowned, yes, but one of the most expensive, certainly not! There are plenty upon plenty of more expensive properties in the country. Take this example, a fourth floor apartment in one of London’s most prestigious areas, £25m, nearly five times as much as Bleak House…
A very nice apartment, yes, a very nice location, sure, but does it come close to living in somewhere like Bleak House in Broadstairs? With its history? As I say, Bleak House is quite a bargain by comparison. Direct trains from Broadstairs into central London only take 1hr 20mins too, so it’s really quite perfect in every way.
And look at these other excerpts from the news article…
See the bit in bold? A mere 3 years ago it was only £2m, and now it is £5m, wow! How much could it be worth in the future?
I genuinely can’t understand why millionaires aren’t racing to snap it up; it’s been on the market since October. And I’m also really surprised that it is just available for general sale for anybody to buy like that.
And look at this bit…
It’s already operating as a business, geared up for bed and breakfast, so perfect for running those writers’ retreats, right? So who wants to come in on it with me? And when I say “Come in on it with me”, you need to put in all the money and I’ll…erm…help run the writers’ retreats. Ooh and I can make cakes too; writers need cakes.
Long term followers of this blog may just remember that I did a short video about this very house a few years ago when I was part of Limebird Writers. Here it is again… (sorry that it’s really hard to hear me during part of it because of the wind.)
So I did a video about it, and now it’s up for sale, that means it’s destined to be mine, right?
Would you buy this house if you had the money? Can I visit?
Let me just grab my checkbook…
Imagine living there! Imagine the stories it would fuel for our fiction. And perhaps the ghosts that would fuel it as well.
Loved your video clip!
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Well yes, surely you must have earned at least 5 million from your books, right? 🙂
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Haha. I just laughed out loud. Literally. 😄
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In a perfect world, you’d be doing those writers retreats and perhaps healing in other ways retreats there. With cakes! And all free of charge! Universe, help this woman!
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People would come flocking wouldn’t they! Like the seagulls…
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I’m running out right now to put a bid on it! I especially like the idea of my own prison cells! (I also thought they misspelled “artefact,” but I looked it up and that’s a British spelling of “artifact.” Who knew?!!)
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If only you liked travelling Lorinda, you could make this your second home 🙂 I had no idea there was a different spelling for artefact/artifact either!
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Sea views? And furnished with chairs and history. Who could want more.
Buying lottery tickets….
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Well make sure those tickets win quickly, I’m sure this place won’t stay on the market for long now that I’ve pointed the world to it!
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I’ll check the couch for coins when I get home. I’m sure there will be enough.
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I’m sure between us we can find enough down the back of our couches right?
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With enough left over for furniture!
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We don’t need furniture, that’s the beauty, it’s included!
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Then we’ll buy wine!
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Oh yes, let’s!
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What an amazing rags to riches turn around for Dickens. I’m surprised he made enough from his writing to afford that (though I realize it was cheaper back in the day). Still, seems most famous artist types don’t make their money until after they die!
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I just did a quick search, and he did start to make quite a bit of money as he progressed through his writing career, so maybe he was one of the lucky ones who managed to actually benefit financially from his success while he was still alive!
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I guess so! Thanks for doing the research. I was too lazy. I hope he got his family out of debtor’s prison. You don’t have to check. I’m going to assume yes–if they were still there.
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I remember old Charlie well; it’s too bad that you didn’t ask ME for my ideas about his work as you did those in your video. Oh, the tales I could tell!
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I didn’t ask you because I was worried that we might frighten small children if they were to see the video!
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Awesome place, and not horribly priced – considering.
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It’s always the same story – when I have five million, there are no dead authors’ homes to buy, and when there are dead authors’ homes to buy, I don’t have five million. Why can’t those things tie up for once!
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Ha ha.
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As I happen to not have $5mil in my pocket quite yet (waiting, like Carrie Rubin, to earn ‘book’ money from multiple sales, sometime in the near future, but perhaps not near enough to buy The BLEAK House), I offer to be one of the writing instructors for your Writing Retreat. And yes, I think your idea of a perpetual writing retreat in the house where Dickens wrote one of his masterpieces, a brilliant idea. I teach Creative Writing for Fun on both coasts of the U.S. – I think it’s now time to bring my lessons and exercises over the pond to the gorgeous country of England, inspired and perhaps cheerfully haunted by Dickens. So count me in, please.
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Ok you’re hired. Good we’re getting a staff together. Now we just need the man (or woman) with the money, I’m sure they’ll be along soon…tap, tap, tap…
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I’m so excited!! I’ve started my lesson plans already. Oh, and the wonderful long creative walks we’ll have around the property, gathering our creative thoughts to write imaginative masterpieces. Yay!!!
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While breathing in the sea air! Hurrah!
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Are you on commission?
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No, but if the property sells, and they want to give me a little thank-you, hey, I won’t refuse! 🙂
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They should call it something else. It lacks je ne sais quoi and curb appeal.
Those flats in Mayfair cost a lot because of their opulence but also because when you step out the door, you’re in Mayfair. Same thing in Manhattan. Crappy little flats. It’s what’s outside your door is what makes it so expensive. Nice VID.
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What, they should call it something other than the name of one of his novels? 🙂
Yes I appreciate why those flats are so expensive, and under different circumstances I would love one. I’m a London gal, I was born and grew up there, but now, the position I’m in in life, the Dickens mansion suits me better!
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Don’t you think we could all pool our resources and us it as a kind of timeshare?
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Absolutely! Let’s do it…
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Well you know how I adore you on video but no I wouldn’t but it. Do you know how many places I could travel with that kind of cash? 🙂
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But remember I spoke of having a “spare” 5 million, so in your case, that assumes you have all the travelling money you want already, and this 5 million is just sitting around with no purpose 🙂
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