Record ID: SUR-2D3E56
Object type: CANNON BALL
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: West Berkshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An iron cannon ball weighing just over five pounds and just over three inches in diameter. This was probably fired by a Saker artillery piece. This had a calibre of 3.5" and fired a shot of about 5.25lbs. Sakers could be used either in battles or sieges. Therefore it may relate to the siege of Donnington Castle or one of the two battles of Newbury, possibly the second one (27 October 1644), where the garrison on Donnington Castle saw the approaching flank movement of the Parliamentary Army.
Created on: Thursday 20th June 2013
Last updated: Tuesday 6th May 2014
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: BERK-9ED66D
Object type: CANNON BALL
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: West Berkshire
Workflow stage: Awaiting validation
An incomplete iron ball, possibly a cannon ball of post-medieval (probably Civil War) date. The ball is 100mm diameter and has been split in half, in fact just under half of the original ball survives. There is no casting seam around the cannonball, and no trace of a casting sprue can be seen on the remaining half. There is a hole that extends from the surface down through the ball to the middle; this is also now in half. The force required to break such a ball of iron in half is immense; it may have happened during firing if there were flaws in the casting, or alternatively it may be…
Created on: Monday 16th May 2016
Last updated: Friday 24th March 2017
Spatial data recorded.