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Historic houses · London

The Blind Beggar and his Dog

In or near City of London.

Modern♿ Wheelchair: limited👪 Family-friendly

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

The Blind Beggar and his Dog, historic houses in London

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–2 h
Nearest railway station
Bethnal Green · 0.7 km
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

The Blind Beggar and his Dog is a place of interest in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1958. Wikidata describes it as: "Public artwork (sculpture) by Elizabeth Frink.". Coordinates: 51.5299°, -0.0450°.

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
51.5299, -0.0450
Parish
Tower Hamlets, unparished area
Postcode
E2 0RA
Parliamentary constituency
Bethnal Green and Stepney
Established
1958
Nearest railway station
Bethnal Green0.7 km

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is The Blind Beggar and his Dog?
The Blind Beggar and his Dog is in London, United Kingdom (postcode E2 0RA), in the parish of Tower Hamlets, unparished area.
What is The Blind Beggar and his Dog?
The Blind Beggar and his Dog — Public artwork (sculpture) by Elizabeth Frink.
How do I get to The Blind Beggar and his Dog?
The nearest railway station is Bethnal Green, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode E2 0RA.
When was The Blind Beggar and his Dog built?
Built or established in 1958.
How do I get to The Blind Beggar and his Dog?
The nearest railway station is Bethnal Green, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode E2 0RA.