| Percy Cross | |
| Location: | Northumberland, England, UK |
| Gbgridref: | NY8771793664 |
The Percy Cross (also Battle Stone) is located just off the A696, from Otterburn, Northumberland, England. It was erected before 1400 to commemorate the Battle of Otterburn, which took place in 1388, and takes its name from Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland whose two sons took part in the battle. The memorial was restored and re-erected in 1777, and again in modern day, to include signage.[1] The Percy Cross is a sandstone memorial which includes a square stepped base, approximately in height and in diameter.[2]
The entire battlefield area is designated an Area of High Landscape Value and parts of it are contained within the Northumberland National Park. On 7 January 1988, Percy Cross became a Grade II listed building.[3] [4]
In Armstrong's 1769 map of Northumberland, he marks the spot with a cross, called "Battle Stone". Another monument, now called Percy's Cross, was erected by Henry Ellison upon the spot where James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas is said to have fallen.[5]
The monument is a circular pedestal of rough masonry, about in diameter at the bottom, and more than in height. It tapers to the top. The centre of it includes the old socket which belonged to the previous stone. An old architrave from the kitchen fireplace at Otterburn Hall was inserted into it. The cross section of this stone is . It has a beveled corner along its length, and two small pieces of iron project from a side. On its top is another stone, tapering to a point. The socket is a worn, weather-beaten sandstone, about square and has the appearance of having been in use much longer than any of the other stones.