Alnwick (Narrowgate) - Cross Inn

Name: The Cross Inn

Address: Narrowgate Street, Alnwick

c.2026

These days, the Cross Inn is known as Dirty Bottles, but has only gone by that name since 2014. The address is now recorded as no.32 but the property was originally listed as no.12 until the mid-1800s. It is a Grade II listed building, with the following description.

1. NARROWGATE 5330 (North East Side) No 32 (Ye Olde Cross Public House "Dirty Bottles") NU 1813 SE 1/68 20.2.52. II GV 2. Right hand part of 2 windows C17; left hand part of 3 windows later with early C19 attic storey. Two storeys and attic. Painted dressed stone. The right hand part has a moulded eaves cornice, modern tiles and raking top former with a Yorkshire sash window. Two light casement windows. Stone bracketed hood over doorway. Above is a shield upside down with the de Vesci arms (a cross patonce, hence the name of the inn), probably C13. On the ground floor is an old bow window containing the dirty bottles said to have been left there in the early C19 and by local superstition kept there (hence the nickname of the inn). The left hand part has a built up gabled dormer; plate glass sashes on 1st floor and attic, a glazing bar sash window on ground floor to right and on left a modern recessed bow; a blocked doorway between them. Gable light to attic on left. Slate roof with moulded cast iron gutter. (Historic England)

It is said that in 1725, the landlord of what was then named 'The Cross' inn, dropped dead when cleaning the bottles displayed in the window. According to local superstition, they were said to be cursed and the landlord's widow declared that anyone who touched the bottles would suffer the same fate. As a result, the 'Dirty Bottles' were sealed between two windows and have lain untouched ever since. (https://co-curate.ncl.ac.uk/the-dirty-bottles-alnwick/)

The Cross Inn dates back to the 1600s but during most of the 19th and early 20th centuries it operated as a Wine and Spirit Merchants.

1864 Town Map

The inn has a c.13th century shield, upside down with the 'de Vesci' arms, above the entrance (a cross patonce, hence the original name of the inn).

c.2026

The signage above the window, which is still there today dates back to the early 1900s when it reopened as an inn having been closed for nearly a century, hence the amended name, 'Ye Olde Cross'.

1834 Poll Register - Robert Finlay

I can find no press articles about the Cross Inn prior the 19th century, but the first owner/manager of the Wine & Spirits merchants was a Robert Finlay, who was born in Alnwick and was there from the early 1800s until his death in 1862. 

1841 Census - Robert Finlay 'Spirit Merchant'

1851 Census Robert Finlay 'Wine & Spirit Merchant'

1861 Census - Robert Finlay 'Wine Merchant'

1862 Probate Robert Finlay

I suspect the wine & spirit merchants was founded by Robert Finlay but later taken over by successful local businessman, freemason and one time mayor of the town, Adam Robertson, who was born in Scotland; records confirm that Robert's daughter, Jane Thompson Finlay married Adam's son, Adam Robertson (b.1834 d.1894). 

Adam Robertson Snr.

1871 Probate - Alderman Adam Robertson

1871 Census Adam Robertson Jnr 'Spirit Merchant'

Following Adam Robertson's death in 1871 the business passed to his son, Adam Jnr. as did his painting and decorating business and also the wine merchants. 

Like his father, Adam was an influential businessman in the town, living a couple of doors down Narrowgate from the store, and in 1881 his listed occupation reflects this, as a "Painter, Decorator and Wine Merchant Master, employing 85 men and 10 boys".

Adam Junior was an active Freemason in the town and in 1890, gifted a drinking water fountain to the town, which is known as 'Robertson's Pant' and lies on Bondgate Within.

Robertson's Pant c.2026

Family Letterhead

1881 Census - Isabella Snowdon 'Manager of Spirit Shop'

1891 Census Isabella Snowdon 'Spirit Bar'

In 1891 Isabella Snowdon is shown as resident a few doors down from Ewen Whiteford at the Black Swan on the 1891 census above and her occupation is shown as 'Spirit Bar'.

1894 Kelly's Directory - Adam Robertson

Adam Robertson Jnr. was to die the same year as the directory above and the business was then passed to his son Robert Finlay Robertson who probably owned it until his own death in 1926.

1895 Probate Adam Robertson

It's interesting to note from the below press cutting that despite not being a pub for around a century, the licence remained in place for the wine merchant business under the original name, the "Cross" Inn.

ALNWICK PETTY SESSIONS

Saturday, February, 2nd, 1895. Before Major S. F. Widdrington, of Newton Hall, (Chairman), and Mr. John Tate, of Oaklands. Alnwick; also Mr. Jos. Archer (Clerk). 

LICENSING AFFAIRS. Mr. T. A. Thorp, solicitor, applied on behalf of Mr. R. Finlay Robertson for the formal transfer of the "Cross" Inn, Alnwick, which was granted.

Saturday,  Feb. 9, 1895

Publication: Morpeth Herald

1901 Census Robert Finlay Robertson 'Wine & Spirit Merchant'

BRIEF NOTES AND NEWS 

Mrs. Snowdon, who for many years managed the Cross Inn Tavern, Narrowgate. Alnwick, for the late Alderman Adam Robertson, died at Warkworth on Wednesday morning, at the advanced age of 80 years. The deceased lady belonged to the Sordy family, of Birling, being the daughter of Mr. John Sordy, East Farm. She was much respected, both at Alnwick and Warkworth. 
Saturday,  Jan. 5, 1907
Publication: Morpeth Herald 

1914 Kelly's Directory John Dryden

John Dryden's family were from Northumberland, but he was born in Tasmania, Australia. The family were only there for a short period than then moved back to Alnwick. He was no stranger to the pub trade as his grandfather, William Dryden had run the Three Horse Shoes Inn, Acklington during the mid-1800s and his father, also William, was the landlord of the Turks Head where John grew up. John initially worked as a butcher on Market Place before taking over as landlord at the George Inn on Bondgate Within where he and the family were to be found in 1911. Shortly afterwards they moved to the Cross Inn where he remained until his death in 1927, when son William took over the reins behind the bar.

1921 Kelly's Directory John Dryden

The above directory in 1921 is the first reference I can find to the Cross Inn having reopened as a public house under the management of John Dryden.

1928 Letterhead for the Robertson Business

c.1906/08

1927 Probate for John Dryden

Following John's death, his son William took over the business and ran it until 1941 when it passed to his sister, Jane Lilian Cairns (nee Dryden) who had been living there helping in the business for many years before.

1939 Register - William Dryden

LICENCES
An application by Mr. C. W. Forster (Messrs Dickson, Archer and Thorp, Alnwick) for the transfer of the license of the Cross Inn, Alnwick, from William Dryden to Mrs. J. L. Cairns, was agreed to. Mr. Forster said that the applicant was the previous licensee's sister. The application was because of Mr. Dryden being called up for military service. The licence of the Blue Bell Inn, Amble, was transferred from Elizabeth Young to Lancelot Grey, on the application, of Mr. J. S. Hart Jackson. Thomas Webb, Railway Hotel, Acklington, was granted an extension of hours from 3 to 4.30 p.m. on May 8 on. the occasion of a store cattle sale.

Friday,  May 2, 1941

Publication: Morpeth Herald

The pub closed in the 2000s and was facing conversion to accommodation but thankfully this was avoided. It was bought by local entrepreneur Mark Jones in 2014, who developed the pub we see today as the Dirty Bottles and the business was then sold to Greene King Brewery in 2025. The inn has now expanded in both directions incorporating both no.30 and 34 Narrowgate Street. 

No.34

No.30