Quay Marker Stone Outside Number 20

A former quay marker stone dating from the 18th century, originally marking the southern boundary of the early port at Sunderland. The stone is now used as a gatepost to Number 20 Cotton Tree Cottage. It is constructed of sandstone and is rectangular in plan, standing approximately 1.4 metres high and tapering from a base width of 0.5 metres to a top width of 0.4 metres, with a thickness of 0.3 metres. The top of the stone slopes gently from front to back. On the east-facing side, towards the top, is a carved letter ‘S’ below which is a carved date of ‘173’ (the final number is illegible, potentially reading as a 6, 9, or 0). Additional illegible markings are present near the top, some appearing to be rope wear marks and others possibly from tool sharpening. The stone is thought to have originally marked the southern limit of the early 18th-century port, established by Robert Lawson, which handled trade with the West Indies and North America, including the first cotton crop to enter Britain. The port’s importance declined following the construction of facilities closer to Lancaster and the later opening of Glasson Dock. The quay marker stone has group value with other 18th and 19th-century listed buildings in Sunderland and with a mid-18th-century wharf on First Terrace.