The Isle of Wight Walking Festival
2024 has been a momentous year celebrating Charles Dickens's holiday visit to Bonchurch in 1849, 175 years ago. The year kicked off with the May Walking Festival, during which I hosted several illustrated walks around the village, pointing out the essential locations and talking about the local people of the era.
The Pickwick Club visits Bonchurch.
The Pickwick Club joined a walk during the week when I was invited to host the twenty-seven visitors, the largest group to date. Charles Dickens's great-great grandson, Island resident Ian Dickens, invited the group and assured me they were jolly and fun. Encouraged by that thought, I asked group members to take turns reading out letters and quotes, which happily also helped save my voice!
Ian has been instrumental in organising many exciting events on the island celebrating the 175th anniversary, including the exhibition of colourised black and white photographs of Charles Dickens at Dimbola Lodge, Freshwater.
The Dickens Fellowship visit to Bonchurch.
Sue Lowday with Dickens Fellowship Chairman & Conference
organiser Tim Suffolk.
A few months later, the Dickens Fellowship hosted its annual international conference in Portsmouth in August. Ian initially assured me that around forty people would possibly be interested in visiting Bonchurch for the tour. I confess that this daunted me, so I set to work thinking about how best to guide large numbers around our tiny roads and how I would manage to talk to such a large group. Gradually, the numbers increased, and eventually, ninety-nine people signed up for the day. The groups were split in half; fifty visited Osborne in the morning, while fifty visited Bonchurch in the morning, with a switch around after lunch. How do you manage that number of people? I recruited three fabulous literary friends to share the groups. Elizabeth Smith, Neil McCarthy, and Jane Cox, each practising their allotted scripts and allocated different starting points, taking around 12 people each around the village. We each took a nom de plume from David Copperfield: Elizabeth was Betsy Trotwood, Neil chose Uriah Heep, Jane was Micawber, and I took Peggotty. Not everything went entirely to plan. The slower, less-able walkers started at the very top of the village, and they quickly voted with their feet to enjoy a refreshing drink at the Bonchurch Inn while enjoying the talk. There was also a tricky moment when we hunted the village for a lost professor we thought had missed the coach. Luckily, numbers weren't correctly counted, so we breathed a sigh of relief and waved goodbye to the coach.
Neil with his morning group at Winterbourne
Elizabeth enjoying a moment near Winterbourne and the old church.
Neil at Hillside Cottage with the giant Wopps.
Sue hosts Ian Dickens amongst the group at Hillside Cottage.
Elizabeth at the Parish Church by the graves of the White family.
Sue shares photographs of the same view taken around 1850.
Sue and Jane's groups glimpse the Dick family home Uppermount with Ian Dickens.
Jane shares a quote from Dickens by the village pond.
We received terrific feedback from the conference members, most of whom were academics and specialists. They loved the village and the many stories about Charles Dickens' visit.
"It was an honour to be asked to host a walk in Bonchurch for the Dickens Fellowship. The group was so knowledgeable and engaging, making the experience truly enriching for everyone involved. It was wonderful to see their excitement as they visited the places they had read about, bringing their literary knowledge to life in such a tangible way. Their enthusiasm and insights added a special dimension to the walk, making it a memorable event for all." Elizabeth Smith.
Special thanks go to our special literary friends Jane, Neil, Elizabeth, and the Church Warden, Deborah, for being so accommodating, as well as our two photographers, Jo and Andria. A special mention goes to Steph at Hillside Cottage for happily hanging a giant Wopps (wasp) from her garden fence and welcoming Miriam Margolyes and with friends to see her gorgeous home, where a fascinating part of the Dickens story took place.
Many thanks to everyone for making it a day to remember.
Miriam Margolyes visits Bonchurch
A few weeks later, a rumour suggested that Dickens fan and Harry Potter actress Miriam Margolyes would perform at an Isle of Wight festival. It would be wonderful to share the village's history with her. Intriguingly, a few days later, I received an email from County Press Editor Lori Little asking me to call as there may be something I would be interested in. Lori told me that Miriam had heard about the Dickens connection and would love to hear more, so we arranged a date to meet at East Dene, where Charles Dickens and friends shared a cup of tea with Lady Swinburne after the school fundraiser for the new school building in the village road. Dickens fan Deana Wright generously invited us to use the grounds for the talk.
Miriam was fascinated by the whole story and made notes. She read the quotations beautifully and asked questions about Dickens' family holiday. Miriam invited us all to lunch at the Spyglass, followed by a visit to the Parish Church in Bonchurch, where she laid a stone on the grave of her friend Fidelis Morgan, who lived at Pulpit Rock many years ago.
Here is a link to the County Press's description of the Bonchurch visit and a delightful clip of Miriam reading the letter Charles wrote to his wife, telling her about the special holiday location he had found on the Isle of Wight.
The Charles Dickens Walking Trail
This year, 2024, was rounded off by David Howarth joining one of my Isle of Wight Walking Festival Walks with a plan to create a Ramblers leaflet for a 'Dickens Trail'.
The trail encompasses a broader area than my walk around Bonchurch. The Ramblers trail starts in Shanklin, walking along Luccombe Down, the location of Dickens picnics, and continuing to Ventnor Cemetery, the burial site of Margaret Dick, reputed to be the model for Miss Havisham. The walk continues to the Royal Hotel, where newly married Dickens and his wife stayed in 1838. It then follows the esplanade to Bonchurch, where key points of the David Copperfield and Great Expectations stories are visited.
Stories are visited.
Ian Dickens and I joined David Howarth to gather the information and images for the walk. The leaflet is now available at information centres around the island and can be printed from the copy here. The map has QR codes with readings by members of Charles Dickens's descendants.
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Isle of Wight Walking Festival May and October
Dickens Walk around Bonchurch hosted by Sue Lowday
If you would like to join one of Sue's illustrated Dickens Walking Festival Walks around the village, email her, and she will be in touch in May and /or October. dickenswalks@icloud.com
The walk has many fascinating stories and quotes from the people who lived and visited the village in 1849. Sue's research is ongoing, and she regularly discovers new treasures to share with you. The walk takes around 2.5 to 3 hours.
2025 Walking Festival Dates
10 - 18 May
4 - 13 October
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