Rights Holder: Somerset County Council
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POWDER MEASURE
Unique ID: SOM-FDCB81
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Cast lead alloy cap, similar in form to, but much larger than, the common powder holder caps of the 17th-18th century. It is circular with sides that angle out to the open top. The base is solid and domed (convex inside the cap, concave on the outer side). There is a slight thickened rim on the outer side around the open top. The top has been squashed inwards on both sides. At two points, directly opposite each other, there are pairs of raised lines running from the base to the top on the outer side. These end in attachment loops at the top. The loops are now broken and squashed back against the sides. It is 66.4mm long, 43.1mm wide and 20.5mm tall; the base is 38.7mm in diameter and it is 3.7mm thick at the rim; it weighs 134 grams.
Paul Courtney has examined a photograph of the find and suggests the form and presence of the loops is consistent with a powder measure cap. He commented: "I can only speculate that it is for a large bore fowling piece- an early form of shotgun but i am merely speculating and I am unsure of the size of charge needed for such guns which i think varied widely in bore"
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Period to: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1500
Date to: Circa AD 1800
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 66.4 mm
Height: 20.5 mm
Width: 43.1 mm
Weight: 134 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 22nd November 2011
Personal details
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Other reference numbers
Other reference: SCC reciept 20894
Materials and construction
Primary material: Lead Alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Somerset (County)
District: Mendip (District)
To be known as: Chewton Mendip
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
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Timeline of associated dates
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