The cannons were part of fortifications constructed at Digby, primarily to protect the town from privateers in three separate eras: the American Revolution (1775-1783), the British-French War (ca. 1793) and the War of 1812. The original cannons are now gone, replaced in 1883 by the six here now. The six cast iron cannons were manufactured in Britain, the Victorian era cannons in the 1840s and the George III era cannon sometime prior to 1820. Each has a plaque affixed to its carriage relating a small part of the story of the fortifications and the canons.
Loyalist Park, Digby
Six cast-iron cannons
| Location |
Foundry
weight |
Date |
Weight
(pounds) |
Weight
(kilograms) |
| south |
42-1-11 |
1841 |
4743 |
2151 |
| |
43-2-14 |
1844 |
4886 |
2216 |
| |
42-3-6 |
1844 |
4794 |
2174 |
| |
42-3-0 |
1841 |
4788 |
2171 |
| |
42-0-26 |
1840 |
4730 |
2145 |
| north |
41-3-1 |
– |
4677 |
2121 |
These cannons cannot be identified by serial numbers.
They have no serial numbers. Each of these guns has a
weight, as marked by the foundry, and no two are the same.
The cannons are listed here in sequence, from the south end
of the park to the north end.
From New Scotland
|
GEORGE III ERA CANNON
WEIGHT 4677 LBS.
DIGBY'S HISTORIC FORTIFICATIONS
PRINCE REGENT'S BATTERY (1812-1820),
LOCATED IN BAYVIEW, CONSISTED OF A SEMI-CIRCULAR
BATTERY OF FOUR CANNONS, AND A SMALL WOODEN
BLOCKHOUSE OVERLOOKING DIGBY GUT. THIS CANNON
FIRED AN 18 POUND CANNON BALL.
DUKE OF YORK'S BATTERY (1812-1820)
LOCATED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHANNEL
IN VICTORIA. BEACH, AND HAD AN EQUAL NUMBER
OF GUNS. THE GARRISON AT ANNAPOLIS ROYAL
(ASSISTED BY LOCAL MILITIAMEN) SUPPLIED
THE MEN FOR BOTH.
From the plaque on the cannon