Monument to Hodge the Cat
a very fine cat indeed
A bronze of Dr Johnson's beloved cat sitting on his dictionary in Gough Square, beside the great writer's former home.
Free to visit · City of London · Chancery Lane · EC4A 3DE
Opening: Square always open
In the quiet of Gough Square, outside the house where Samuel Johnson compiled his famous dictionary, sits a bronze statue of his cat Hodge. The great man was devoted to the cat, going out himself to buy oysters for him so the servants would not resent the chore, and his biographer Boswell recorded Johnson calling Hodge a very fine cat indeed.
The bronze shows Hodge perched on the dictionary beside a pair of empty oyster shells, with that very quote inscribed below. It is free to find, a charming tribute in a hidden square, and a lovely reward for tracking down one of literary London's gentlest corners.
Getting there: In Gough Square off Fleet Street, a short walk from Chancery Lane.
Best time to go: A quiet weekday in the hidden square off Fleet Street.
Insider tip: The cat sits in Gough Square right outside Dr Johnson's House, which charges to enter but the statue and square are free. Look for the oyster shells at Hodge's feet, a nod to the treats Johnson bought him.
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide