Editing Tenantry Column (section)

== Description ==
The [[Doric order|Doric]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=uoIHAAAAQAAJ The wandering knight of Dunstanborough castle, and miscellaneous poems] (1822), by James Service, p.136</ref> column is {{convert|83|ft}} tall and topped by the Percy Lion, symbol of the historic [[House of Percy|Percy family]].<ref name="LR"/>  The lion sits on top of a drum decorated with foliage and surmounted with an iron balcony.<ref name=listing/>  The lion's tail, unusually, is horizontal and is said to point towards Scotland but the reason why is not known.<ref name=he/>  The lion, depicted [[Attitude (heraldry)#Passant|en passant]], points south.<ref name=listing/>

The base of the column is surrounded by a circular granite platform of {{convert|90|ft|m}} circumference, accessible by stairs.  The platform is surrounded by four more lions, on black marble plinths, which look upon Alnwick.<ref name=listing/><ref name=he/>   A panel on the west side of the base of the column is engraved "To Hugh, Duke of Northumberland K.G This column is Erected, Dedicated and Inscribed By a Grateful and United Tenantry Anno Domini MDCCCXVI".<ref name=he/>  Panels on two other sides are marked with the Percy family motto "Esperance en dieu" (French: Hope is in God).  The fourth side contains the entrance to the column's internal stair case.  The platform was originally surrounded by railings, but these have been lost.<ref name=listing/>

Buried in a cavity in the foundations is the regimental roll of the late [[Percy Tenantry Volunteers]], written on [[vellum]] and sealed in a glass tube.<ref name="LR"/>  In 1887 Alnwick's railway station was built near to the column. It is one of the first sights to greet visitors to Alnwick, arriving from the south.<ref name=echo>{{cite news |title=Lion topped column erected to honour generous landlord – but was he grateful? |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19033077.alnwicks-percy-tenantry-column-stands-opposite-barter-books/ |access-date=28 September 2021 |work=The Northern Echo |date=24 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref>