SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I've heard folklore that the town hall lions are "supposedly" reputed to turn around every year or so. Anyone else heard this???Sorry if in wrong place......Don't know where else to put it.

Ive seen them spin a few times when ive been sat on the steps at 3 in the morning.

Spin by themselves or by aid of something mechanical like a crane???

I think loinerpete means after consuming a few wets around the town!Having spent some time at the Town Hall I have heard a couple of tales regarding the lions.The most often told was the story that if you could run around the building in the time it took for the bell to strike 12, the lions would come to life. Needles to say, I have never tried it although I recall a group of solicitors trying to do it as a fund raising stunt back in the early 90's before the Magistrate's Courts moved to their own building.The other tale I have been told is that if the bell ever struck 13, the lions would come to life and not just turn around but run around the town scaring people. But looking at the state of them now. they don't look very frightening.

Hi Simonsee also 'Round the Midnight Hour' thread in Clocks.

The story I was told is that "when the lions hear the Town Hall Clock strike midnight at New Year they stand up roar (or turn round or walk round the Town Hall)" and the point is that the lions are made of stone and they can't hear anything. I have been told the Leeds lions were the original models for the ones in Trafalgar Square but I don't know how true that is!Beefish

The story I heard was they swapped places.

when i was at school we did this topic on the town hall, and watched a video on it that had the tale of a little boy who lived across the road watching the lions at night and he spotted the two inner ones swap places at midnight. we were also told that its why the heads are faced that way. i believed it to be true even now and tell my sons this story and basically anyone who mentions it to me.