An Old Naval Cannon found in High Street, 1943/44
“One would not expect to find an ancient naval cannon at Marks and
Spencer’s Stores, but when the High Street premises, much damaged
by bombs, were being demolished one was found under the basement floor.
It has been preserved by the Corporation officials and eventually a home
will be found for it in one of the museums. It is made of iron, 5 ft. long and
with a bore of about 4} in. A ball has been fixed in its mouth so there
can be little doubt that it was used as a bollard, probably at the end of
one or other of the passages out of High Street as they were too narrow
for wheeled tramc. When the bollard ceased to be necessary it was buried
to save the trouble of carting it away. It is known that in other places in
the city old cannons were used for a similar purpose. Some people remem—
ber the Post Office when it was in New Street, the Colonnade building
stands on the site; it was set some way back from the footpath and the
space so left was marked out by several such cannon used as posts.”
(Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society 1943/44)