English Lead Shot Pellets

Containers:

Artifact EDU2012.65

Scope and content:

3-Lead shot pellets from the Shot Tower in Chester, England. The Chester Shot Tower, also known as the Boughton Shot Tower, was erected next to the leadworks established by Walkers, Maltby, and Company in 1800 in order to produce lead shot for the Napoleonic Wars. The brick tower is circular measuring 9m (diameter) at the base and 6m (diameter) at the crown. The building is 51m tall. Molten lead, to which arsenic was added, was poured from the top of the tower passing through a griddle to separate into pellets. It then would land in a vat of water at the bottom of the tower. No measurements (sealed with wax in glass container). Pellets are in good condition with no visible defects but there are some much smaller pieces in the container as well (possibly remnants from another pellet). EDU2012.065

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