Dick Whittington's Cat
A stone and a small black cat statue on Highgate Hill marking where the legendary lord mayor heard Bow Bells call him back.
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The lowdown
On Highgate Hill stands the Whittington Stone, topped by a small statue of a black cat, marking the spot in legend where the poor young Dick Whittington, trudging out of London in despair, heard the Bow Bells ring out and seem to call him to turn again, promising he would become Lord Mayor three times over.
The real Richard Whittington was a wealthy merchant who did indeed serve as Lord Mayor of London several times, though the famous cat is almost certainly a later invention. It is free to find, a charming link between a beloved pantomime tale and the genuine history of medieval London.
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