Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
CRIMEAN GUN
Lisnagarvy, Lisburn and Castlereagh, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- CANNON
- Date of listing
- 8 October 1981
- Date of delisting
- 23 March 2016
- Date of construction
- 1840 - 1859
- Address
- CRIMEAN GUN, CASTLE GARDENS, LISBURN, CO. ANTRIM
- Townland
- Lisnagarvy
- Council
- Lisburn and Castlereagh
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.51133, -6.03959
- Date of survey
- 01 April 2010
- HB reference
- HB19/16/009
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 3 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1838 "Ireland, north sheet." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
Free-standing iron wheel-mounted cannon, erected 1858, facing south within Castle Gardens, set on granite ashlar plinth, moved to current position c.2008.
Single-barrel cast-iron cannon mounted on wrought-iron two-wheeled trail, mounted on granite ashlar block stepped podium with six octagonal granite piers supporting an iron chain. White marble plaque to south reads:
“THIS GUN, TAKEN AT SEBASTOPOL, WAS PRESENTED TO THE, TOWN OF LISBURN, BY ADMIRAL MEYNELL R.N., 1858”
Historical information
The ‘Russian Trophy’ was initially sited in Market Square roughly in the position occupied today by Nicholson’s memorial (HB19/16/04). The ordnance survey town plan dating from 1859-61 shows the gun in Market Square but revisions of 1875-6 have it in Castle Gardens. It was formerly placed at the end of the main path leading from the entrance and Mackey has a photograph of it in this position. Following recent restoration of the gardens it has been moved further to the west. (Mackey, p.55)
According to a plaque on the gun castle the gun was presented to the town of Lisburn by Admiral Meynell, former MP for the town from 1826 to 1847. It is said to have been ‘taken at Sebastopol’. After the siege of Sebastopol from 1854-5, the British sent cannons seized in the conflict to towns and cities throughout the Empire. (Punch, p.156)
Primary Sources
1. PRONI OS/8/17/1 – Lisburn Town Plan 1859-61 (rev.1875-6)
2. PRONI OS/8/17/2 – Lisburn Town Plan 1876
3. PRONI OS/8/17/3 – Lisburn Town Plan 1900-02
Secondary Sources
1. Mackey, Brian “Lisburn, the Town and its People, 1873-1973” Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 2000
2. Punch, Volume 43, 1862, p.156
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
An iron cannon on stone platform situated in Castle Gardens. This iron cannon is of early nineteenth-century appearance and was taken from Crimea c.1855. Formerly an MP of Lisburn, Admiral Meynell participated in the fashion for presenting captured Russians weapons to towns throughout the British Empire, by presenting this example to Lisburn. The cannon has been moved twice since, and whilst it remains a memorial to the Crimean conflict and is an interesting artifact within Castle Gardens it is not considered an appropriate object to be protected through listing.
Nearby in the register
- Wallace MemorialMemorialunder 1 mi
- GatewayGates/ Screens/ Lodgesunder 1 mi
- Fountainunder 1 mi
- Church HallHallunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.