The Dirty Bottles

The Dirty Bottles is a freehouse pub on Narrowgate in Alnwick. The right-hand part of the building has 2 windows and dates from the 17th century; the left-hand part was built later and has 3 windows and an early 19th century attic storey. It was previously called 'The Cross Inn' and later 'Ye Old Cross Inn'. 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).[1] The Dirty Bottles is a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for 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, the 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.