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William the Lion Commemorative Stone

RATTEN ROW 1. 5330 William the Lion Commemorative Stone and Wall to each side NU 1813 NW 3/360 II 2. The stone is a modern replacement and commemorates William the Lion of Scotland's capture on that spot in 1174. The wall is 4 to 5 ft high of snecked rubble, and extends about 50 yds to the west and some 200 yds to the east of the railings in front of the stone.

 

Alnwick Mercury, 1 April 1864.

William the Lion's Monument Rotten Row.— The old monument placed in the last century to indicate the spot on which William the Lion was taken prisoner, has been recently superseded by a more modern memorial. This is plain dwarf block of free stone, about feet by 3 feet, which is rubbed smooth and raised two steps. the centre of the block, facing the road, is grey Aberdeen granite tablet, on which is the following inscription incised Roman letters, gilded : "WILLIAM TIIE LION King of Scotland, besieging Alnwick Castle, "Was here taken prisoner, MCLXXTV". The road, known as Rotten Row, which boasts this way side memorial, has been otherwise altered. The wooden fences which bordered the footway, although picturesque with their amber, grey and green tints, were difficult to keep in repair ; these have therefore been low curb-wall, surmounted by strong iron railing occupies their site or nearly so. A stone wall has been also built on the boundary of the roadside, from the grounds of Alnwick parsonage to the corner of the new road leading to the Moor, immediately front of the new castellated lodge with its gateway into Hulne Parks. An opening is left in the walling in front of the memorial so that it may be seen from the road, the opening being protected by an iron railing. The term Rotten Row, is confirmatory of the tradition here handed down as it is but a corruption of the name Route-au-roi or Kings Road, and not from Routine Row" as noticed by correspondent in last months' Mercury.