Test firing an Elizabethan cannon

[Adsos Letter]

Source: BBC/Science

Archaeologists have built a replica Elizabethan cannon to find out how powerful English ships were at the time of the Spanish Armada.

The replica is based on an original cannon recovered from the only Elizabethan warship ever discovered, which was located off the Channel Islands.

Timewatch: Elizabeth's Lost Cannons is on BBC Two at 2000 GMT, Saturday 21st February.

Watch more clips at the Timewatch website

Video at the link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7899816.stm

[IntravenousDemilo]

1. I'd stand well back.

BTW, you realize that UK cannons manufactured after 6 February 1952 are also Elizabethan, right? I consider myself an Elizabethan as well, since I was born in a Commonwealth country after that date.

[Adsos Letter]

3. Well, now I'm curious...

I've been studying Tudor/Stuart England all semester...how is the difference between post-1952 Elizabethan era differentiated from the era of Elizabeth I ? :)

[IntravenousDemilo]

5. Especially since this Elizabeth's reign is already longer than the first one's.

Perhaps we can call this the Second Elizabethan Age.

[Adsos Letter]

6. And Elizabeth I's reign was long, in it's own right...

Interesting monarch...used all her skills to elevate England to the position it held by the time of James I.

English history fascinates me...considering America's English/British heritage, we don't study it nearly enough here.

A good course on the period of the English Civil Wars/Revolution would be valuable for American students, imo. :hi:

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Some were calling it the 'New Elizabethan' age at the start of her reign

See eg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1779996.stm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/sceptred_isle/page/216.shtml?question=216

A school lesson plan about 'the new Elizabethans': http://czv.e2bn.net/e2bn/leas/c99/schools/czv/web/website_files/New%20Elizabethan/new_elizabethans.pdf

[BlooInBloo]

2. "Video not available in your area."

:(

[Adsos Letter]

4. Huh!...it worked for me...I'm in California...

:shrug:

[aikoaiko]

7. Shooting stuff is fun.

;)

[Historic NY]

8. Thats pretty neat. NY State has a few 36 lber's that roar along the Hudson River.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. I saw the programme - the cannons were cast iron, and a standard size

rather than made from several pieces of wrought iron held together with hoops. So they were more reliable, and you didn't have to have a separate supply of cannonballs for each cannon. They were smaller than a lot of other cannons at the time, but you could fit more onto a ship.

They measured the muzzle velocity - 300 metres a second, or about 675mph - 90% of the speed of sound. They reckoned a range of about a mile.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7899831.stm