Construction workers in Kingston upon Hull, England, recently stumbled upon a cannon that dates back around 300 years while completing their routine tasks. Hull City Council announced this interesting find earlier in the year.
Once uncovered, the cannon was closely examined by archaeologists from Humberfield Archeology, which operates under Hull City Council. This cast iron cannon, believed to have been produced in the late 17th or early 18th century, measures approximately 9 feet in length and weighs over a ton.
Initial assessments suggest that the cannon was decommissioned, with its nozzle intentionally sealed. Archaeologists speculate that it may have been repurposed as a mooring, a common practice during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, before being buried in a dock in the 1930s.
Peter Connelly, the archaeology manager at Humberfield Archeology, described the discovery as “very unexpected.” He mentioned that the contractors were taken by surprise, initially not even realizing that what they found was a cannon.
“They didn’t foresee such a find since they were aware that the area being excavated was predominantly dock backfill,” he explained. It turns out that when the ground is filled, items can be placed into deep holes simply for convenience.
Even though discoveries like this aren’t entirely unheard of, Connelly noted that this specific find is both rare and unusual. Previous excavations have turned up fragments from a cannon from the era of Henry VIII and another from right before the English Civil War.
Connelly remarked, “This new cannon is only the third of its kind found in the last 30 years.” He added that, more commonly, archaeologists expect to uncover typical 20th-century trash or minor objects like lost glassware.
He recalled finding a complete glass decanter from the late 19th century in the same area, speculating about the disappointment of whoever lost it. The cannon’s condition indicates it was likely decommissioned before being used for another purpose.
After the dock ceased functioning, it was filled in and transformed into a garden, which rendered the mooring post obsolete, leaving the cannon tilted. Researchers are currently investigating whether the cannon was manufactured in Hull, noting that the city did have its own cannon maker in the late 18th century.
Connelly emphasized that further analysis is ongoing to determine the cannon’s age, origin, and possibly its manufacturer.
