by Karina Barker

Bookworms are being given a chance to own one of the most famous addresses in English literature - if they have £2 million to spare.

Bleak House in Broadstairs was Charles Dickens' favourite holiday home and is where he completed David Copperfield in 1851. And now it's up for sale.

It's also believed to have been the inspiration behind the book that shares its name, although the property was known as Fort House when Dickens lived there, and was only renamed later to reflect its celebrity status.

Estate agents Chesterton Humberts say the Grade II listed house will appeal to a wide range of buyers.

The glossy sales brochure describes "extensive and well presented family accommodation arranged over four floors".

As well as the ensuite master bedroom with dressing room, there are five further bedrooms, three more bathrooms, a drawing room, dining room and a music room.

The author's study is still in place, overlooking the sea, and the cellars are a former museum.

On a practical note, the house overlooks Viking Bay, and is close to the town centre, but has room for formal gardens and parking.

Dickens' master bedroom at Bleak House

James Grillo, associate director at Chesterton Humberts' country department, said: "Bleak House is one of only a few properties in the world to be lived in by Charles Dickens, one of the world's most famous authors, and this naturally this gives the house scarcity value.

"This is a property that could be seen as an antique, and there are a number of buyers who buy properties with this sort of provenance because they just relish the opportunity of being a custodian of such a historic house.

"But, having previously been used as a museum and with planning permission for a boutique hotel, there is another type of buyer that will recognise the commercial potential of the property and look to buy it for that reason.

"The Dickens link definitely raises the property's profile within the country house market and will attract a number of people who have might not have previously considered this sort of property had it not been for the fact that they had seen it in the press but even without this link, this is a beautiful property in a stunning location, an opinion obviously shared by Dickens himself."

The house, which was built in 1801, was in the Dickens family for more than 50 years.

His daughter Mamie is recorded as saying it was the one "on which he always set his affections".

For more information visitwww.chestertonhumberts.com