Plate 028 · Culverin · Renaissance

Culverin

A long-barrelled smoothbore prized for range and accuracy in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Historical Record

Provenance & Service

Derived from the medieval handheld 'couleuvrine', the culverin matured into a long, relatively slender bronze gun firing a roughly 18-pound iron ball. Its high length-to-bore ratio gave excellent range for the period and made it a favourite naval gun of the Tudor and Elizabethan navies. Culverins armed the English fleet that fought the Spanish Armada in 1588.