Considered by some to be the smallest permanent sculpture in London, the Philpot Lane Mice are indeed small and missed by many a passersby. Two brown mice and a piece of very yellow cheese can be seen above head height on the Philpot Lane side of 23 East cheap, EC3, where the cafe meets its next door neighbor at 13 Philpot Lane. These mice apparently date from 1862 when the Victorian building was constructed for the spice merchants Messrs Hunt & Crombie by John Young & Son.
Philpot Lane
This small side road is named after Sir John Philpot who was Lord Mayor of London between 1378-1379. Philpot Lane links East cheap and Fen church Street and is going to get a lot more visitors since 20 Fen church Street - the skyscraper better known as the Walkies Talkie has opened. The entrance to The Sky Garden is at the back of the building so you will walk along Philpot Lane.
Why Mice?
The story goes that two builders who were good friends were having lunch together high up on a building site (and before the days of Health and Safety). They had packed bread and cheese to eat but one of them found his lunch had been nibbled and he wasn't happy. He accused his friend and a fight broke out which led to both men falling to their death. It was after this accident that a mice infestation was discovered on the building site. Some say it was during the construction of the Victorian building where you can see the mice sculpture and some say it was during the construction of The Monument. As that was completed in 1677 - nearly 200 years before this one. I somehow doubt that story is true.But most people do believe these mice are a memorial to the builders who died.
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