This gun, which weighs 5 ¾ tons, was probably made in the Low Countries in 1607, commissioned by the Knights of Malta. It is richly decorated with a variety of images representing the Order’s religious and humanitarian role. It was brought to England around 1800 and lay at the Royal Arsenal in Woolrich until 1962, when it was transferred to the Tower.
John Hall of Dartford, Kent, made the carriage for the gun in 1827 on the orders of the Duke of Wellington, Master General of the Ordnance. It shows the Arms of Malta and scenes from the history of the island. The breech of the gun rests on an iron quoin in the shape of a Maltese dog.
What a great design. I always try to put myself in that time… how were they able to even move the gun…. How many horses were pulling it. This is some wonderful craftsmanship.
There is a lot of skill gone into making this gun and its carriage
I wonder why it rests on the head of a dog though….
Art
Knights of Malta – quite a history there.
Yes a lot of history there
Ha ha… I remember this odd looking Maltese dog!
Like a half man half sheep mythical creature instead.
Everything about the gun carriage is curious
a nice touch to make the rest place a maltese dog, CP. i take it the guns were loaded from the muzzle end?
Yes it is a muzzle loading gun.
Someone give that dog a paracetamol, I know I would want one
LOL He probably needs more than one after all these years