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honks by ontology: astronomical

ckeen bonked 01 Aug 2023 14:57 +0200
original: mythologyandhistory@mas.to

Did you know that #Exeter #Cathedral has a #cat door?

The cathedral built in the 14th century, houses an #astronomical #clock.

The original clockwork was greased with animal fat, which attracted vermin.

To combat this, the #bishop allowed a cat to enter the clock room via a #hole in the door.

This hole is also believed to be the origin of the nursery rhyme “Hickory Dickory Dock” (…the mouse ran up the clock…).

#history #catsofmastodon

This is a photo of the cat hole in Exeter Cathedral.

It shows a stone wall with a narrow wooden door. The door is very old-looking, with the wood being heavy and uneven.

it has two iron hinges to hold the wooden planks together & two little windows to look at human height.

In the very bottom, in the middle, is a hole in the wood just large enough for a domestic cat.

The photo shows a black-and-white cat peeking through the cat hole.