Museum rolls out big guns to blow away visitors

They were lowered into at the museum's home in Clarence Dock, under the watchful eye of the museum's keeper of artillery, Nick Hall. The cannon, all newly-restored, had completed the long journey north from the Royal Armouries's south coast museum at Fort Nelson in Hampshire, which houses the national collection of big guns and artillery.

The Royal Armouries has used a specialist contractor to transport the six historic cannon, which were lowered into place yesterday.

Mr Hall said last night: "These cannon have been restored and are in fabulous condition.

"They will provide an eye-catching showpiece in Leeds and will be sited in a variety of locations, including sites near The Tiltyard and Craft Court, plus the mini-roundabout outside the museum.

"We have moved them north as part of the initiative to re-order the displays at Fort Nelson, which is currently being redeveloped, and these guns will be an impressive addition at Leeds."

The newly-installed cannon have an impressive pedigree.

They include a 1791 English 10in smooth bore, muzzle loading (SBML) Howitzer cast by the King Brothers at the Royal Brass Foundry in Woolwich.

Its decoration includes the monogram of King George III and the arms of Charles, Third Duke of Richmond and its estimated weight is 2.25 tons.

Also on display is a pair of British, bronze nine-pounder SBML guns, on cast-iron garrison carriages, dated 1811. They were manufactured by the King Brothers at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich and bear George III's monogram and the arms of Henry, First Earl of Mulgrave.

Two British cast-iron, 32-pounder SBML Blomefield guns are also in the collection.

The first was dated 1808 and was manufactured at the Carron Iron Works in Falkirk, Scotland. The second dates to 1810 and was made in Rotherham. These were the kind of heavy guns that armed the Royal Navy in Nelson's time.

Also on display is a Russian cast iron eight-inch Licorne, circa 1800, weighing about three tons with a tapered breech characteristic of a design devised by Field Marshal Count Shuvalovy.

The Leeds museum houses a major part of the national collection of arms and armour and Fort Nelson in Hampshire houses the national collection of big guns and artillery.