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Chris, Norfolk
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Gun Hill, Southwold, Suffolk
Gun Hill, Southwold, Suffolk

It is thought that in the past Gun Hill once jutted out into the North Sea by as much as two miles.
In 1659 a raging fire destroyed much of Southwold and it’s likely that before the fire there were buildings on Gun Hill. In total some 459 buildings were lost in the fire and many families faced poverty. It's thought the distinctive ‘Greens’ in the town, such as Gun Hill, were designed to act as firebreaks should another similar disaster ever occur.
Known once as St. Edmunds Hill, its has become more commonly known as Gun Hill after the arrival of six, 18 lbs. cannons in the 18th. century. These are some of the earliest cannons to be made in England and are dated to the Tudor period, 1485 to 1558, with some bearing the Tudor rose and crown.
Local legend has it that the cannons were presented to Southwold by the Duke of Cumberland due of the wonderful reception he received from the town following the Battle of Culloden….but as he didn’t come within 90 miles of Southwold that would seem to be rather a tall story! It’s more likely that the guns were sent by the Royal Ordnance for the protection of Southwold against the Dunkirk pirates.
The guns were last fired in 1842, to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Wales, with tragic results. Whilst reloading No. 1 gun for the second round there was a misfire. A soldier, James Martin, looked down the muzzle and the delayed explosion blew his head off. He left a widow and three young children without any means of support. There are many stories of his ghost walking on Gun Hill.
During World War I it was widely thought that the cannons were one reason why this part of the Suffolk coast was bombarded by the German Fleet. The Germans considered Southwold to be a fortified position and from their point of view it became a legitimate target. In World War II the cannon were prudently removed, and returned to their former position once hostilities ceased.



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Taken on: January 20, 2023
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Sets appears in:   • Aldeburgh, Southwold & Woodbridge   
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Camera: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II, f/4.0, 1/1250 sec, 17.9mm, ISO 125 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II
Aperture: f/4.0
Exposure Time: 0.001 sec (1/1250)
Focal Length: 17.9mm
ISO: 125
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program: Program AE
Exposure Mode: Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: sRGB
Software: Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384
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Gun Hill, Southwold, Suffolk

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