In the 1860s Charles Fechter sent Charles Dickens a Christmas present, it arrived in 58 packing cases at Gravesend station. The present was a prefabricated Swiss Chalet which Dickens assembled in the garden at his country home at Gadshill Place. He constructed it in the second part of his garden which was across the Rochester road. In time he built a tunnel under the road so that he could access the chalet without being seen.

A lot of his later writing was done in the upper study of this chalet which was kitted out with all the things he liked to have near him when he was writing. In his studio on the second floor he included a number of mirrors so that the light would reflect around the room and surround him.

The chalet has been preserved and moved to Rochester High Street as a memorial to the writer.