Around Christmas time an author that comes to mind can be none other than Charles Dickens, one of the nation's best loved authors.
Perhaps the novel that most sums up Christmas can be none other than Christmas Carol, and the character Scrooge.
However another couple of his novels that captured the public imagination are David Copperfield and Great Expectations.
This is where the Island played a part, both with locations and inspirations for some of his characters.
During the period of his writing David Copperfield, Dickens had been renting Winterbourne house in Bonchurch, and this village is where he found some of the characters for his stories.
Living in the house now named Peacock Vane was a Mr Dick, or Captain Dick, as he was known, who became the inspiration for Mr Dick the kite flying “bumbler” who shared a house with the feisty Miss Betsy Trotwood.
Capt Dick had a daughter, Margaret, but come the day of her wedding the bridegroom never appeared.
Following that traumatic event, Margaret went to live in the house that would have been the matrimonial home, Madeira Lodge, and lived as a recluse, completely shutting herself off from society.
Dickens featured her in Great Expectations, as Miss Haversham the reclusive bride.
Many local tales exist regarding Dickens and his Bonchurch adventures.
One story reveals how his friend, and illustrator of Dickens novels, John Leech, who lived on Bonchurch Shute, had an accident while frolicking on the beach at Monks Bay.
It left him unconscious, and it was said that Dickens helped revive Leech using hypnosis.
Many of Dickens friends could be seen in the village. Thackeray, Tennyson, and his good local friend James White.
They would often visit the local Monks Bay beach where they would play rounders with the local children.
A small stream follows the boundary of Winterbourne, culminating with a small waterfall. It was here that Dickens built an open air shower.
All want well until a maid accidentality appeared, to find a completely naked Mr Dickens. Following this surprise encounter, he decided to abort this ingenious idea.
The stream can still be seen today.
Look out for Dickens events taking place on the Island throughout 2024, including at Dimbola Museum and Galleries in Freshwater Bay.
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