© University of Glasgow
Archaeologists and engineers at Glasgow University have teamed up to try to better understand how the battle of Culloden was won by making a cannon of the exact type used in the battle.
For years battlefield archaeologists have been examining distorted pieces of lead shot found at the site and puzzling what they originally hit by studying their shapes.
Now the replica cannon will be used to fire cannonballs into different materials, so ballistic experts can gauge their effectiveness in battle and answer unsolved questions surrounding cannonballs found at the 1746 Culloden battle site.
© University of Glasgow
“We recovered a variety of lead projectiles fired by cannons during the Battle of Culloden,” explained Dr Tony Pollard, Director of the Centre for Battlefield Archaeology at the university. “These included pieces of case shot and grape shot which featured a number of markings and distortions.”
“By using the recently built replica cannon to test how lead projectiles react when they impact a number of different surfaces we will be able to compare the results with the artefacts collected from the site.”
“These results can then tell us how the cannons were used in the battle and, depending on what they struck, human bodies, the earth or stone, how effective they were in battle.”
© University of Glasgow
Dr Pollard has been working closely with Alan Birkbeck from the university’s Ballistics and Impact Group for the inter-disciplinary project, Alan took a year to build the cannon in his spare time, making nearly all the components himself.
Alan said: "It is an unusual project but it is a good balance between fun and science. We are currently waiting for permits to start firing projectiles from the cannons but it will be a very exciting experiment when it begins."
The type of cannon was used by the Duke of Cumberland to fight the Jacobite uprising during the Battle of Culloden. They consisted of barrels over a metre long through which three pound balls of iron were fired.
There will be a demonstration of the live cannon on Saturday September 13 at the university, when it will fire blanks. Due to licensing and safety considerations the ballistic testing will be held behind closed doors at a later date.
