John II, Louis VIII, and Clock Tower, St Albans white plaque

This white commemorative plaque records: The Clock Tower built between 1403 and 1412 A mediaeval belfry almost unique in England, it contains a large curfew bell dating from 1335. The adjacent French Row was occupied by the Dauphin's troops in 1216. In the Fleur-de-lys Inn, King John of France was detained for a time in 1356

King Louis VIII of France ruled from 1223 to 1226, expanding French control over Alsace and Poitou; King John II of France, captured at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356, was held briefly in St Albans before his transfer to England, highlighting the town’s role during the Hundred Years' War.