Did a solicitor's office in Yorkshire inspire Dickens's A Christmas Carol?

This fascinating video shows the office in the town of Malton, North Yorkshire, believed to have inspired Charles Dickens in his description of Ebenezer Scrooge's office. (See also yesterday's post, where we locate Scrooge's counting house near Cornhill, in the City of London.)

In 1843, the building housed the offices of solicitor Charles Smithson. Dickens visited his friend that year and later told him he had the rooms in mind as he wrote A Christmas Carol. He also said the church of St Leonard's inspired his description of the church bells ringing on Christmas morning, in Stave V of his story.

Watch the video below, or click here to watch it on YouTube.