How many cats will you be able to find?

A new family friendly historic trail has been designed to encourage walkers to discover the history of some of the main buildings, by finding pictures of 15 cats, which are displayed in the windows of  participating outlets.

The trail is a free, family friendly, self-guided walk along the old 'Watling Street', an important Roman road (the High Street and East Street), which runs through the historic heart of Sittingbourne.

The cat connection comes from the story of Florence and Thomas Gisby, who lived in Cockleshell Walk in Sittingbourne around a hundred years ago. They owned 15 cats, which roamed the town, and each cat had a favourite place to sit. Photos of the Trail’s cats now sit in the windows around the town. Walkers are encouraged to find them all and collect a sticker from Baileys Coffee Shop.

Many travellers have visited Sittingbourne over the centuries, including royalty. Today, many of the buildings that were used by travellers are still there, you just have to look up above the modern shop fronts, or down the side alleys at the backs of the buildings, to see them as they once were.

The Cat Trail which launched on Saturday is a joint venture between the Historical Research Group of Sittingbourne (HRGS), and Baileys Coffee Shop, with input from Swale Borough Council.

Local author Patricia Robinson, explains everything you need to know about this brand new trail in the video below.