Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
World War I Firing Walls
Cercle solaire du Kiischpelt
Kiischpelt’s Solar Circle
Front of the monument from the ground
Niederwald Monument
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The Big Well
This Kansas Town Advertised the World’s Largest Well. It Wasn’t.
about 16 hours ago
Rats didn’t take over the city by being foolhardy.
Do New York City Rats Deserve Their Bad Rap?
2 days ago
The Secret Gardens Saving the World’s Rarest Plants
2 days ago
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Henfield The Cat House

The Cat House

This Tudor cottage is adorned with many canary-clasping cats, which originally served as a reminder to a local clergyman of his pet's murderous ways.

Henfield, England

Added By
AdOYo
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
  Charlesdrakew
  Charlesdrakew
  Ian Cunliffe
  Simon Carey
  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
  frankclarkx / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Cat House is a beautiful thatched timber cottage that sits on Henfield's Church Walk. Though built during England's Tudor period, in 1550, it did not become the "cat" house until more than 300 years later in the 19th century, when its then-owner furnished it in the feline fixtures we see today.

The tradition goes that the cats were placed on the house in memory, not of the owner's cat, but his canary, which can be seen in the paws of each cat.

The tragic tale of the canary tells that Nathaniel Woodard, a local clergyman owned a cat that snuck into the house and killed its resident canary. Heartbroken and seeking revenge, the house's owner fixed depictions of the incident on the house so Woodard would be reminded of his cat's transgression each time the clergyman passed on his way to church.

Should Woodard choose to turn away in shame, then an accompanying string of shells and bells that hang from the house would be shaken as a further reminder.

Related Tags

Cats Houses Eccentric Homes

Community Contributors

Added By

AdOYo

Edited By

Steve 55, frankclarkx

  • Steve 55
  • frankclarkx

Published

April 10, 2024

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
The Cat House
Church St
Henfield, England, BN5 9PB
United Kingdom
50.932644, -0.27554
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Clayton Tunnel North Portal

Brighton, England

miles away

Patcham Pylon

Brighton, England

miles away

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens

Lower Beeding, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

Nearby Places

Clayton Tunnel North Portal

Brighton, England

miles away

Patcham Pylon

Brighton, England

miles away

Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens

Lower Beeding, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

Related Places

  • The tiny house and garden.

    Valencia, Spain

    Cat House

    This house's itty bitty size means no humans allowed.

  • Statues at the Dinosaur House.

    Henderson, Nevada

    Dinosaur House

    A retired schoolteacher in suburban Nevada transformed his front yard into a paleontological menagerie.

  • Lizard/salamander

    Madrid, Spain

    Casa de los Lagartos (Lizards House)

    A masterpiece of Rationalist architecture in the center of Madrid with lizards on it.

  • Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

    Redner's Rescued Cat Figurine Mewseum

    A private home collection of more than 3,500 cat figurines.

  • San Diego, California

    Mushroom Beach House

    A futuristic-looking beach house built for the owner of a snack food brand.

  • San Nicolás de Los Arroyos, Argentina

    Casa Barco Irupé

    A poet in love with the Parana River built this unique house that became a landmark.

  • Veiga, Spain

    Casa das Pedriñas

    This house covered in small stones was the work of one man over the course of nearly 30 years.

  • Underground House

    Las Vegas, Nevada

    Underground House

    A luxurious doomsday bunker hidden beneath an unassuming Las Vegas home offers the best of subterranean suburbia.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.