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London (dpa) - A house in which 19th century British novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870) wrote some of his best known books was partly destroyed by fire, but a popular museum inside the building remained unaffected, the authorities said Monday.
Forty firefighters tackled the blaze at Bleak House in Broadstairs, in the southern county of Kent, which shares its name with the title of one of Dickens' novels.
The Charles Dickens Museum, which is housed in the imposing, privately-owned building overlooking the sea, was not affected, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said.
The historic building, perched on clifftops, was constructed in 1801 for the captain of the local fort.
It was originally called Fort House, but renamed Bleak House after Dickens wrote his novel of the same title there in 1853. Dickens finished David Copperfield at Bleak House between 1849-1850.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
