Russian Trophy, Bank Parade, Newry, Co Down, BT34

This cast-iron cannon serves as a rare war memorial in Northern Ireland, specifically linked to the Crimean War. Located on the upstream side of the Armaghdown Bridge, opposite the main entrance to the Town Hall in Newry, it occupies a prominent position.

The cannon, measuring 2.80 metres in length, tapers towards a bell-mouth nozzle with a bore of approximately 150mm. A winged bird insignia is cast into the middle of the top surface, and lugs on the sides of the barrel allow it to be pivot-mounted on a wrought-iron cradle. These lugs bear various number markings; the right lug also features a possible date of 1799. The cannon is marked ‘No.27’. It features two wheels at the front and a towing bracket at the rear, with the rear end of the cannon supported by a short cast-iron post secured to the back of the cradle.

Captured from the Russian army during the Crimean War (1853-6), the cannon was presented to the citizens of Newry by the War Office in recognition of the troops from the South Down area who served in that conflict. Originally situated beside the War Memorial on Bank Parade, it is located within the Newry conservation area. The cannon was likely constructed between 1860 and 1879.