The Legend of Langdon the Lion
Young Dick Whittington had a mouse infestation in his house so he went to the local market to buy a kitten. He found one with lovely golden fur and brought it home. Over the next few weeks, his little cat grew bigger and bigger until Dick realised he wasn’t a cat at all but a lion! The lion cub was a great mousecatcher and soon everyone had heard about him, even King Richard II.
The King was terrified of mice and so he bought the handsome golden cat from Dick Whittington for a generous price and the friendly lion kept the royal castles free of the pests. King Richard took the lion with him wherever he went.
In 1399, King Richard II went to Rochester to see the new stone bridge. As the royal procession approached the city, a mouse ran across the King’s path. Richard was so terrified that he refused to take another step. The brave little lion sprang into action and caught the mouse allowing the King to cross the new bridge.
Out of gratitude for the young lion’s service, the King honoured him by proclaiming him “Guardian of Rochester Bridge”. The Bridge Wardens named him Langdon after one of the manors belonging to the Trust. Ever since that day, Langdon the Lion and his family have guarded the bridge, allowing travellers to cross the bridge free from the fear of mice.