[1] It is notable for its association with author Charles Dickens, featuring as Westgate in The Pickwick Papers and as the Nun's House in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

It was built in the 1590s for Sir Peter Buck, Mayor of Medway and Clerk of the Cheque at Chatham Dockyard.

In 1903, Rochester City Council converted the building into a municipal library and museum in celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Additional elements include heating and lighting features, as well as a new lift and a staircase to replace one which was previously removed.

[13] In the 1920s, Sir Guy Dawber designed the gardens, annexe building and cottage of the property.