Gun
Category
Arms and armour
Date
circa 1665 - circa 1675
Materials
Wood and metal
Measurements
1470 x 60 x 255 mm
Order this imageCollection
Dunster Castle, Somerset
NT 725972.6
Summary
Rare English-Lock flintlock musket, English, c1665-75
Full description
A rare English-Lock flintlock musket, English, c1665 - 75, the barrel and stock stamped with the ownership mark of Francis Luttrell. Attached label reads: No 6 No visable marking. Flintock, blackened wood. No rod chamber. Heavy woodworm exposing small loop under rod area. 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. Barrel: 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 on the top flat with the initials FL. The muzzle has a bead fore-sight, while the breech has a decorative raised rear sight. Retained to the stock by 3 barrel pins. The ramrod is missing. Barrel length: 109.2cm Calibre: 20mm Stock: Wooden full stock, the chunky French-form butt of 2-piece construction. Each side of the butt is stamped with the initials FL. There is a small unexplained slot behind barrel tang. The forestock becomes V-shaped just forward of lock area. Iron furniture comprising; bow-shaped trigger guard with spear-shaped finial, and 1 ramrod pipe (damaged). The curved trigger suspends from a pin just above the rear of the lock. Lock: English Lock (Type 2 with lateral sear) flintlock with flat and bevelled plate, the tail with a button–shaped finial. Flat form cock with reinforced neck, the rear with a V-shaped cut for the dog catch. Facetted frizzen with tall and narrowing upper portion. Facetted V-shaped pan. There is a decorative finial to the frizzen spring. Retained to the stock by 2 sidenails. Overall length of musket: 147cm 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 Each side of butt: 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.