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Articles
One of the last guns from the
Wealden furnaces in Oman is also one
of the last gun to be cast in the Weald
and does definitely come from
Ashburnham. It is a 9 or 12 pounder
gun, with the crowned P, dated 1790
with the initials MM and the weight 23-
1-0 all engraved on the barrel. The
right trunnion has the A for
Ashburnham. The date may refer to
the proof rather than the manufacture,
as it is unsure at what date casting of
guns ceased at Ashburnham. The
double MM probably refers to the John
and Joseph Mangles, ships chandlers
of Wapping, who occasionally had
guns for the East India Company
proofed at Woolwich – the crowned P
refers to proof carried out at Woolwich
which was normally limited to clients
such as the east India Company or
foreign governments.
We do not know how this last
product from a Wealden gun foundry
got to Oman – when this gun was
proofed, the world was about to
change. In France revolution would
lead to the armies of France and Great
Britain fighting, not just in Europe, but
in Egypt and India, too. It was also a
time when the British government
sought the friendship of the Imam of
Oman against this common enemy.
And in the Weald the last furnace still
operating, Ashburnham, ceased to
cast guns.
Acknowledgement
The visit to Oman was part of a larger
project, sponsored by the Ministry of
Tourism, whose support is gratefully
acknowledged.
54 MAGAZINE ISSUE 06