Mons Meg (Cannon)

[Louis]

Mons Meg is one of two surviving 'bombard gun's presented to King James II by his uncle by marraige, Phillip the Good, Duke of Burgundy in 1457.- The name 'Mons' comes from where they were made 'Mons" which is in present day Belgium.-

The 6 ton, muzzle-loading canon is capable of firing gunstones weighing 150kg nearly 2 miles.

It saw action only once against the English at Norham Castle on the river Tweed. However, its great weight made it impractical to drag around in battle so by the 1650's it was retired to Edinburgh castle where it was fired to salute the marraige of Mary Queen of Scots to French Dauphin, Francis.-

Mons Meg was last fired on 14th October 1681 to celebrate the birthday for the Duke of Albany and York (later King James VII of Scotland and II of England) The ancient gun's barrel burst and it was left beside Foog's gate until it was taken to the Tower of London in 1754 and later returned to Edinburgh in 1829 where it sits proud but silent outside St. Margaret's Chapel.-

Specifications
Weight 6.6 t
Length 406 cm
Barrel length 280 cm
Shell weight 175 kg
Caliber 510 mm (ball diameter)

Sources:
panoramio
jimcaldwell.wordpress
royal-mile
webebalanced

 

[Louis]

 

[Louis]

Cleaned thread

 

[mcmortison]

Paid my respect to the Grand Old Lady last year.