Post by Wasp on Apr 29, 2008 21:17:14 GMT
guns that saved a city.
history of the canon that protected Derry's Walls during the siege of 1689 is revealed in a new book due for release next month.
The Great Guns Like Thunder details the background to the guns and the world-shaking events they were involved in.
The title of the book comes from a line in a sermon delivered during the siege by the Rev Seth Whittle, who didn't survive it.
Historical
Author and archaeologist Dr Brian Scott says the history of the guns goes back much further than the infamous siege.
He said his research into the backgound of the weapons turned up some fascinating detail.
"I was formerly head of conservation at the Ulster Museum and was then asked to conserve the guns by the Economic Development department of Derry City Council, which realised the tourism potential of the cannon.
"The council also wanted authentic gun carriages to go with the weapons so I organised the experts to do that.
"Then the question was asked: 'What can you tell us about them?' so I went into research as well as restoration."
Three types
Dr Scott said the guns came in three main groups.
"One pair were brought in by Sir Henry Docwra and these were sent to help deal with Shane O'Neill in 1600.
"One of them has the marks of Thomas Johnson, who was the Queen's gun founder and they were cast iron which was a very high standard for the time, as most guns up until the latter part of the 17th century were bronze.
"It was a new material, cheaper but more brittle, meaning they could explode, unlike bronze which was more likely to tear.
"Then there is a batch with City of London seals sent in August 1620 to Culmore.
"There's a couple of others from the same period with the mark of John Browne, who was the King's gun founder, whose father took over from Thomas Johnson around 1600, so he was the second in a line of gun founders who dominated the entire English gunmaking scene until around 1685.
"Then there was a batch sent in April or May 1642, after the great Irish rebellion of 1641."
Disarming
Dr Scott said these were sent again by the London companies after the city was stripped of many of its guns by the Lord Deputy of Ireland to raise an army for Charles I prior to the Bishops' Wars in Scotland.
It was never sent and the situation in Ireland broke down into confusion with different armies fighting each other.
Dr Scott said it was a very violent and confused time in history.
"Rebellion turned into war and you have four or five armies fighting in Ireland up until Charles was beheaded and Cromwell came in and dealt with that.
"So Derry had no guns and asked for more from London companies who had financed the building of Derry and who sent over one or two each in a ship called the Charity.
"This gave it enough guns to be unattractive to the rebels and in 1649 there was a siege when it was held by Parliament which everyone seems to have forgotten about and which lasted longer than the one in 1689."
The author said there was one final detail he uncovered which put the guns at the centre of world change.
"One pair in the later group has the marks of John Wilkinson.
history of the canon that protected Derry's Walls during the siege of 1689 is revealed in a new book due for release next month.
The Great Guns Like Thunder details the background to the guns and the world-shaking events they were involved in.
The title of the book comes from a line in a sermon delivered during the siege by the Rev Seth Whittle, who didn't survive it.
Historical
Author and archaeologist Dr Brian Scott says the history of the guns goes back much further than the infamous siege.
He said his research into the backgound of the weapons turned up some fascinating detail.
"I was formerly head of conservation at the Ulster Museum and was then asked to conserve the guns by the Economic Development department of Derry City Council, which realised the tourism potential of the cannon.
"The council also wanted authentic gun carriages to go with the weapons so I organised the experts to do that.
"Then the question was asked: 'What can you tell us about them?' so I went into research as well as restoration."
Three types
Dr Scott said the guns came in three main groups.
"One pair were brought in by Sir Henry Docwra and these were sent to help deal with Shane O'Neill in 1600.
"One of them has the marks of Thomas Johnson, who was the Queen's gun founder and they were cast iron which was a very high standard for the time, as most guns up until the latter part of the 17th century were bronze.
"It was a new material, cheaper but more brittle, meaning they could explode, unlike bronze which was more likely to tear.
"Then there is a batch with City of London seals sent in August 1620 to Culmore.
"There's a couple of others from the same period with the mark of John Browne, who was the King's gun founder, whose father took over from Thomas Johnson around 1600, so he was the second in a line of gun founders who dominated the entire English gunmaking scene until around 1685.
"Then there was a batch sent in April or May 1642, after the great Irish rebellion of 1641."
Disarming
Dr Scott said these were sent again by the London companies after the city was stripped of many of its guns by the Lord Deputy of Ireland to raise an army for Charles I prior to the Bishops' Wars in Scotland.
It was never sent and the situation in Ireland broke down into confusion with different armies fighting each other.
Dr Scott said it was a very violent and confused time in history.
"Rebellion turned into war and you have four or five armies fighting in Ireland up until Charles was beheaded and Cromwell came in and dealt with that.
"So Derry had no guns and asked for more from London companies who had financed the building of Derry and who sent over one or two each in a ship called the Charity.
"This gave it enough guns to be unattractive to the rebels and in 1649 there was a siege when it was held by Parliament which everyone seems to have forgotten about and which lasted longer than the one in 1689."
The author said there was one final detail he uncovered which put the guns at the centre of world change.
"One pair in the later group has the marks of John Wilkinson.