Sculpture

Carved mice

Erection date: 1862

Cabbies are attempting to propagate a myth that these mice commemorate two builders who died while working on the nearby Monument.  We can find no reputable evidence for this (and we well remember the stories that cabbies spread about one of the Noses of Soho being in honour of Wellington). Why would the Victorians who put up this building want to commemorate two dead construction workers from the 17th century? How did they even know of their existence? Is this the type of memorial for which the Victorians are renowned (compare and contrast the Albert Memorial)? So it's still an open question why these mice are here, and what, if anything, they commemorate.

Site: Mice and shells (2 memorials)

EC3, Philpot Lane, 13

The mice are at ground floor cornice level at the juncture between number 13 Philpot Lane (Jamies) and 23 Eastcheap (Caffe Nero). The shells are on number 13, below the ground floor cornice. Italian gothic in style, the two addresses are parts of the same, listed, building. Geograph has a fine photo and architectural appreciation and says "It was built in 1861-62 as offices and warehousing for Messrs Hunt & Crombie, spice merchants. The architects were John Young & Sons." Which confirms the contents of two of the shells, and we have no reason to doubt the third.

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Carved mice

Also at this site i

Shells

Shells

This type of information is not normally recorded on this type of building. ...

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Nearby Memorials

St Olav's Church - Seafarers' memorial

St Olav's Church - Seafarers' memorial

SE16, St Olav's Square, St Olav's Church

To us this is a rather eerie-looking seafarer. A colleague informs us that the Norwegian inscription translates as 'In memory of our nava...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
sculptural group 1 - Jellicoe

sculptural group 1 - Jellicoe

SW1, Trafalgar Square

Of the 4 this is the west-most sculpture.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Great Maze Pond - Guys - 3 Guy

Great Maze Pond - Guys - 3 Guy

SE1, Great Maze Pond

In our photo the three iron-work panels can just be seen on the railings in front of the lady with the suitcase. In all honesty only the...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Plough Lane Landmark

Plough Lane Landmark

SW19, Plough Lane

The artist's website has a photo of the textured surface in the studio. Our location shot shows WFC's double-headed eagle on one side of...

3 subjects commemorated, 7 creators
Jacqueline Cockburn - lost sculpture

Jacqueline Cockburn - lost sculpture

SW3, Chelsea embankment gardens

2023: Joe and Suzanne Lindsey-Clark have access to Philip Lindsey-Clark's record of works and they sent this photo together with the mess...

1 subject commemorated, 4 creators