The Lion Tower was built by the fourth earl of Northumberland in about 1480 and was the main porch to the new bailey residence.
Its spectacular display of heraldic sculpture celebrated his dynastic prowess. Symbolic of the Percy family is the great lion over the door. Above this helm with a ‘cap of estate’ and crest, respectively expressing the rank and identity of the wearer. Around the helms are representations of mantling, or decorative swathes of cloth. One of the badges at the top of the tower has tentatively been identified as the padlock of fetterlock of the house of York. If so, this would date the porch to before the Tudor victory at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.
The third picture shows the Percy Lion whose collar displays the family war-cry. ‘Espurance’, meaning ‘ hope’. Above the lion to the left is depicted, the arms of Percy ‘ancient’, abandoned by the family in 1343, when the seal bearing these arms was smashed at Warkworth. Above the lion to the right are the three ‘luces’, or fishes, of the arms of the Lucy family which are a play on their name. The Percys inherited substantial estates from the Lucys in the 1380s.*
*Information taken from the English Heritage guidebook.
love the pictures!!!!
Thanks for dropping by, I am glad you enjoyed them
Impressive ruin CP:)
It makes you wonder what it looked like when it wasn’t a ruin!
‘Espurance’, meaning ‘ hope’.
From the root espere, to hope?
Just keeping you on your toes with a typo
Probably makes more sense when spelt correctly ‘esperaunce’.
Love that ‘Percy Lion’..especially since he carries a message of ‘hope’!!!
There is a very impressive statue of the Lion on the bridge at Alnwick.
Ah, someone has found The Secret Kingdom !! Not quite in my backyard but do remember a primary school trip here many years ago and river walks later in life. Good photography and detailed notes.
I found it a few years ago and it feels like home to me
I am glad you like the photos
I love it!
I thought it was quite unusual
I just went there about a week ago and i’m i’m in the middle of doing a homework project on the lion tower. This page has been a great help, i hope i geta good grade if i do its all down to you thanks!
i mean ( second word,last line) get a not geta!
I am glad you found the post interesting and useful. Good luck with your grade