It is not recorded that Nicholas had occasion to visit the King's Head, Barnard Castle, but we know that Dickens went there after having explored the neighbourhood of Greta Bridge. He and Phiz made the journey in a post chaise, there to deliver the letter Mr. Charles Smithson, the London solicitor, had given him by way of introduction to a certain person who would help him in his discoveries about the Yorkshire schools. Barnard Castle is about four miles from Greta Bridge, and is in the county of Durham, just across the Yorkshire border. Arriving there Dickens made the King's Head his headquarters. Since that date the inn has been enlarged somewhat, but much of the older portion remains the same as when he stayed there. It was here the interview referred to above took place before a fire in one of the cosiest rooms in the building, and the person who furnished the information became the original of John Browdie. Many legends about Dickens's stay at the King's Head have got into print, such as that he stayed there six weeks, that he wrote a great part of the book there, working hard at a table in front of the window all day, and that he spent the nights in the bar parlour gathering facts from the frequenters. Actually he only remained two nights, and wrote no more of his book there than a few brief notes, in the same way that Phiz made rough pictures in his sketch-book. It was whilst on this short visit that Dickens made the acquaintance of Mr. Humphrey, who kept a watchmaker's shop lower down the street. This worthy conducted him to some of the schools in the neighbourhood, and from the friendly association sprang the title of _Master Humphrey's Clock_, used by the novelist for his next serial. When Dickens first met Mr. Humphrey, who we believe was the source from which sprang all the legendary stories about Dickens and Barnard Castle, he exhibited no clock outside his shop. It was not until two years after Dickens's visit that the old man, having moved opposite the inn, placed a clock above the door. [Illustration: THE KING'S HEAD, BARNARD CASTLE _Photograph by T. W. Tyrrell_] The King's Head in those days was kept by two sisters, who were wont to inform customers that Dickens wrote a good deal of _Nicholas Nickleby_ in their house. He was always writing, it was said, and they could show the ink-stand he used during the long stay he made. This is a little exaggeration which reflected glory engenders sometimes. The inn is of the Georgian period and was built about the middle of the eighteenth century. It is situated in the market place, and the room Dickens occupied is still cared for and exhibited to visitors. The house is practically the same, with its intricate staircases, low ceilings, its old-world atmosphere, and old-fashioned appurtenances.