"The Rats in the Walls" is a short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft. Written in August-September 1923, it was first published in Weird Tales, March 1924.In 1923, an American named Delapore, the last descendant of the De la Poer family, moves to his ancestral estate in England following the death of his only son during World War I. To the dismay of nearby residents, he restores the estate, called Exham Priory. After moving in, Delapore and his cat frequently hear the sounds of rats scurrying behind the walls.