Iron Cannon - Pictou, NS
Posted by: T0SHEA
N 45° 40.501 W 062° 42.603
20T E 522582 N 5057981
On Pictou's Hector Quay, pointing out to sea is a single iron cannon, possibly a very old one.
Waymark Code: WMZPGC
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Date Posted: 12/14/2018
Views: 2
The cannon is about a four to six pounder, muzzle loading with a smooth bore. Given its size, it was most likely built as a ship's cannon. Many of the cannon's identifying markings, if they exist, are hidden as the trunnion ends are covered by the cannon's mount, a timber gun carriage of contemporary construction. The carriage doesn't seem to have been designed to replicate any particular gun carriage. It is a fairly simple box of timber.
While it is quite corroded, the cypher over the cannon's trunnions appears to be that of England's King George II, who reigned from 1727 to 1760. If we're correct this cannon may be getting close to 300 years of age.
The cannon points in the general direction of another interesting artefact on the quay - The Hector, the ship which, in 1773, landed at Pictou with the first load of Scottish immigrants, 189 settlers, mostly originating from Lochbroom, who settled in the Pictou area. The "Hector" now docked at The Quay is a replica of the original Hector.