Skip to content
WordPress site playing up? Vincony fixes it — today, from $5.Get it fixed →
The Great Britain Guide

Public art & sculpture · London

Blind Beggar and His Dog

In or near City of London.

Free admission

Blind Beggar and His Dog in England London, United Kingdom.

Cranbrook Estate - geograph.org.uk - 4698585

Stephen McKay — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–2 h
Nearest railway station
Bethnal Green · 0.7 km
  • Free entry
  • Dog-friendly

About

Blind Beggar and His Dog is a public sculpture in England London, United Kingdom, dating from 1958. Britain's public art ranges from Henry Moore reclining figures and Anthony Gormley installations to the Angel of the North and the surviving statues of empire.

Photo gallery

See it from the streetimagery from 2021

Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0

From the Wikipedia article

Blind Beggar and his Dog is a bronze statue of 1958, by the sculptor Elisabeth Frink, based on the famous ballad The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green. It stands in the enclosed garden of Tate House, a residential development for the elderly on the Cranbrook Estate in the London district of Bethnal Green. It is a Grade II* listed structure.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

The legend of the blind beggar became popular in Tudor times and has many variants. One version tells of an English knight, Simon de Montford, who is blinded at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. Seeking to conceal his identity, he begs alms at Bethnal Green, while his beautiful daughter Besse is wooed by four suitors, three of whom are discouraged by her father's seeming inability to provide a dowry. The fourth recognises Besse's innate nobility and marries her anyway, whereupon he receives a dowry from her still-wealthy father. Bethnal Green's civic coat of arms bears the images of Besse and her blind father and the legend is commemorated in many place names in the area, including that of The…

Description

The statue is in bronze, and is 8 feet high. It stands on an "elevated fountain (plinth) of overlapping stone sections". Pevsner describes the statue as "appealingly vulnerable and serious". It was given a Grade II* heritage listing in 1998.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
51.5298, -0.0449
Parish
Tower Hamlets, unparished area
Postcode
E2 0QY
Parliamentary constituency
Bethnal Green and Stepney
Established
1958
Nearest railway station
Bethnal Green0.7 km

Sources

Other places nearby

Nearby

The Blind Beggar and his Dog📷 5

Historic houses · London

The Blind Beggar and his Dog

The Blind Beggar and his Dog — Public artwork (sculpture) by Elizabeth Frink.

👶
Former Public House on Roman Road, Globe Town - geograph.org.uk - 6402251📷 5

Public art & sculpture · London

Globe Town

Globe Town — a public art in england-london, United Kingdom.

Free🐕
Alzette House, Cranbrook Estate - geograph.org.uk - 4697470📷 5

Historic churches · London

Baitul Mamur Masjid

Baitul Mamur Masjid — a church in england-london, United Kingdom.

Free
Hertford Union canal - geograph.org.uk - 986378📷 5

Historic bridges · London

Stop Lock Bridge At The Junction Of Regents Canal And Hertford Union Canal

Stop Lock Bridge At The Junction Of Regents Canal And Hertford Union Canal — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-london, United Kingdom.

Free🐕
Bonner Street, Bethnal Green - geograph.org.uk - 3500620📷 5

Historic churches · London

Globe Town Mosque

Globe Town Mosque — a church in england-london, United Kingdom.

Free👶fourcornersfilm.co.uk
Old Ford Lock📷 5

Canal locks · London

Old Ford Lock

Old Ford Lock — lock on the Regent's Canal, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Free🐕londonremembers.com

Where to eat & stay near Blind Beggar and His Dog

Places to stay

Alloway Road, Mile End - geograph.org.uk - 4302561📷 5

Hostels · London

Park Villa Boutique Hostel

Park Villa Boutique Hostel — a hostel in england london.

Freeparkvilla.co.uk
Detail of railings, former Bethnal Green Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 3799321📷 7

Hotels · London

Town Hall Hotel & Apartments

Town Hall Hotel & Apartments — a hotel in england london.

Looking east on Solebay Street - geograph.org.uk - 7504485📷 5

Hostels · London

A Home from Home

A Home from Home — a hostel in england london.

Freelatimerstepney.com
The Shakespeare, Bethnal Green - geograph.org.uk - 4560005📷 5

Hostels · London

Hostelle

Hostelle — a hostel in england london.

Freehostelle.co.uk
John Garnett House, Whitechapel - geograph.org.uk - 2965612📷 5

Hostels · London

James Hora Home

James Hora Home — a hostel in england london.

Albert Gardens, Stepney - geograph.org.uk - 2311226📷 5

Hotels · London

House 519

House 519 — a hotel in england london.

Places to eat & drink

The Palm Tree, Mile End - geograph.org.uk - 2380812📷 7

Historic pubs · London

The Palm Tree

The Palm Tree in England London, United Kingdom.

The Lord Tredegar📷 5

Historic pubs · London

The Lord Tredegar

The Lord Tredegar — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.

Free🐕thelordtredegar.co.uk
The Salmon ^ Ball, Bethnal Green - geograph.org.uk - 4560006📷 5

Historic pubs · London

Salmon and Ball

Salmon and Ball in England London, United Kingdom.

The Dolphin, Hackney - geograph.org.uk - 3543920📷 5

Historic pubs · London

The Dolphin

The Dolphin in England London, United Kingdom.

The Blind Beggar public house - geograph.org.uk - 6376623📷 7

Historic pubs · London

The Blind Beggar

The Blind Beggar in England London, United Kingdom.

Freetheblindbeggar.com
George Tavern, Stepney 02📷 5

Historic pubs · London

George Tavern

George Tavern in England London, United Kingdom.

Freethegeorgetavern.london

More places in this region

33📷 5

Public art & sculpture · London

33

33 — Public artwork (architecture) by Studio Weave.

Freefirepit.art
A Conversation with Oscar Wilde📷 5

Public art & sculpture · London

A Conversation with Oscar Wilde

A Conversation with Oscar Wilde — Public artwork (sculpture).

Freestmartin-in-the-fields.org
A Sculpture for Mary Wollstonecraft📷 5

Public art & sculpture · London

A Sculpture for Mary Wollstonecraft

A Sculpture for Mary Wollstonecraft — Public artwork (sculpture) by Maggi Hambling.

A Slice of Reality📷 5

Public art & sculpture · London

A Slice of Reality

A Slice of Reality — Public artwork (installation) by Richard Wilson.

Freehollywoodbowl.co.uk

Frequently asked questions

Where is Blind Beggar and His Dog?
Blind Beggar and His Dog is in London, United Kingdom (postcode E2 0QY), in the parish of Tower Hamlets, unparished area.
What is Blind Beggar and His Dog?
Blind Beggar and His Dog in England London, United Kingdom.
How do I get to Blind Beggar and His Dog?
The nearest railway station is Bethnal Green, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode E2 0QY.
When was Blind Beggar and His Dog built?
Built or established in 1958.
Is Blind Beggar and His Dog free to visit?
Yes, Blind Beggar and His Dog is free to enter.
How do I get to Blind Beggar and His Dog?
The nearest railway station is Bethnal Green, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode E2 0QY.