Gun
Category
Arms and armour
Date
circa 1665 - circa 1675
Materials
Wood and metal
Measurements
1545 x 75 x 255 mm
Order this imageCollection
Dunster Castle, Somerset
NT 725972.2
Summary
Rare English-Lock flintlock musket, English, c1665-75
Full description
Rare English-Lock flintlock musket, English, c1665-75, the barrel stamped with the ownership mark of Francis Luttrell. Part of the 17th century Luttrell Armoury and described in the 1705 inventory as one of "43 Musquetts in Dunster Castle". It is thought that the Armoury was assembled in the 1670s by Francis Luttrell (1659 -1690) who formed a Militia and took part in repelling the invasion by James, Duke of Monmouth in 1685. Iron barrel, formed in 2 stages, octagonal at the breech, then round to the muzzle, separated by a turned moulding. The breech with decorative chiselled banding and stamped with the initials FL. The muzzle with a bead fore-sight; the breech with a decorative raised rear sight. Retained to the stock by 3 barrel pins. The ramrod is missing. Barrel length: 116cm Calibre: 20mm Wooden full stock, the club shaped butt of 2-piece construction; the underside deeply curved; the top edge of “hand-rail” form. There is a carved apron to the barrel tang. Iron furniture comprising; bow-shaped trigger guard with spear-shaped finial, and 1 ramrod pipe (missing). A curved trigger is suspended from a single pin above the rear of the lock. English Lock (Type 2) flintlock with a flat and bevelled plate and having a distinctive disc-shaped finial. Flat form cock with reinforced neck, the lower rear with a V-shaped cut for the dog catch, which pivots behind the cock. The frizzen has a squared top: the small pan is V-shaped. Retained to the stock by 2 sidenails. Overall length of musket: 154cm References Brian Godwin, “The Armoury at Dunster Castle”, 14th Park Lane Arms Fair catalogue, London 1997 Brian Godwin, “Dunster Castle – The Armoury Revisited”, London Park Lane Arms Fair catalogue, Spring 2008
Marks and inscriptions
Top of barrel: initials FL
References
Godwin, 2003, Brian Godwin, “The English Flintlock: Its Origins and Development”, (with John Cooper & Michael Spencer) 20th Park Lane Arms Fair catalogue, London 2003.