Found a Horse Harness, 5 Buckles and a Cannon!

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Hello Friends,

I did some research of old maps at my local library over the winter and located an old hotel site. This hotel was probably built sometime in the late 1840's. The hotel was later moved from the site sometime after 1900 whe the highway was pushed north of town.

I started the day at the front of the property closest to the highway, finding nothing but 1950's - 60's coins I slowly detected my way towards the back part of the property. This is when at a depth of 5" I found my first harness buckle, then another and another, well you get the idea! By the time I was done I had 5 buckles and number of small brass decoration buttons still attached to the leather! Then in the same hole I found my first large (2.25"w) horse rosette, it's not decorated or pretty but I'll take it. All of this stuff was found in the same hole that I eventually expanded to a size of 1.5' x 1.5'. Another hour passed without finding much of interest, until I got a solid '66' at 8" on my AT Pro and I thought, "well it's solid, lets see what it is"? Out of the ground came this small cannon! It measures 3 1/8" long x 1/2" wide. It wasn't until I got it home and cleaned it up that I was able to see the amazing detail in the casting of this piece! I'm not sure what it's made of though, maybe someone out there can help me with this? I have know idea how old this is but I would guess somewhere in the mid-1800's?

Thanks very much for looking and best of luck to everyone!
Dave

The Brougham Central Hotel – Originally sat on north side of Main Street

The original Hotel had three documented moves from its historic site; the realignment of Brock Road; the similarity in names between the Brougham Central Hotel and the Brougham Hotel. By 1851, the Hotel already contained ‘good stabling for horses’ and a room large enough to host “an evening concert at brother Woodruffs’ Temperance Inn” which capped off the Temperance Soiree of May 15, 1851.

On May 27, 1851 James Woodruff placed this ‘ad’ in The Literary Gem.

“Brougham Temperance House Bentley’s Corners Pickering James Woodruff respectfully informs the traveling public and the friends of Temperance that he has opened his house for their accommodation on strictly Temperance principles. He will try to please all who may give him a call with good Board, Beds and Cheer of all kinds, except spirituous liquors and Drinks that intoxicate, which are forever banished from his house. Good stabling for horses.”

The use of the term ‘house’ for the hotel, a traditional British synonym for Inn, has its roots in that the early inns and taverns were often originally simply domestic homes, which, due to strategic location became convenient stopovers for travelers and were thus occasionally opened to the public.

 

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[pl8man]

Sweet relics Dave ! I always like the pictures you take and the history of the location ! Keep them great find coming !
Glen

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Sweet relics Dave ! I always like the pictures you take and the history of the location ! Keep them great find coming !
Glen

Thanks for your post Glen!
You're doing really well this year to man!

Dave

 

[novafinder]

love the cannon very cool probably made of brass or something like that

 

[oldsalty19]

 

[lost hunter]

great research

 

[worldtalker]

Dave,Nice finds,that cannon is way COOL!!!! God Bless Chris

 

[bluehunter1973]

nice finds

 

[scaupus]

Really wonderful finds, good research. This ring shown here is 3.6" wide, and is solid brass, dug up from a farm founded ca. 1910; I had been wondering, due to it being larger than saddle cinch rings I've seen, if it may have been part of a harness rig. Are the 2 large rings you dug up about this size? As to the cannon, probably bronze or brass. I'm assuming that's a brownish patina, without significant corrosion, but your pictures are pretty small, it's hard to see surface detail. I see some greenish tints inside the barrel, indicating a copper alloy.

 

[Marchas45]

Nice finds especially the cannon and wheel which I think may be bronze, you need to go back and find the rest as it may still be there. Great details on your research, hopefully no one on here recognizes the spot or you'll have them all over it. There are lots of lurkers on this site just waiting for this type of information. HH Charlie

 

[Deepdiger60]

Nice finds those cannon,s are far and few found your,s is in great shape , Saturday i dug one also but just the breach end it looks like it exploded at the touch hole i tried to find the rest but no luck . Good hunt Jim

 

[CRUSADER]

UK Finds Database - - - UKDFD

The cannon is one of the best finds I have seen you post. They have a history from about 1770s to 1900ish. If I had to pick, I would say yours was 1800 give or take 10 years. Very nice piece, that used to be able to fire! (more a gentlemen's toy, table piece/talking point than a kid's unless they were spoilt)

 

[CRUSADER]

Nice finds especially the cannon and wheel which I think may be bronze, you need to go back and find the rest as it may still be there. Great details on your research, hopefully no one on here recognizes the spot or you'll have them all over it. There are lots of lurkers on this site just waiting for this type of information. HH Charlie

Rest of what? They mostly had a wooden carriage, its only missing 1 pivet pin on 1 side, thats it.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Great Cannon...only ever had one, not as nice will look good in the display case.

SS

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

love the cannon very cool probably made of brass or something like that

Thanks!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

great research

Thank you!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Dave,Nice finds,that cannon is way COOL!!!! God Bless Chris

Thanks Chris, all the best to you and your family!
Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Really wonderful finds, good research. This ring shown here is 3.6" wide, and is solid brass, dug up from a farm founded ca. 1910; I had been wondering, due to it being larger than saddle cinch rings I've seen, if it may have been part of a harness rig. Are the 2 large rings you dug up about this size? As to the cannon, probably bronze or brass. I'm assuming that's a brownish patina, without significant corrosion, but your pictures are pretty small, it's hard to see surface detail. I see some greenish tints inside the barrel, indicating a copper alloy.

Hello scaupus!

Thanks for your post! The outside diameter of the metal bit rings are 3.25".
Here's a larger picture of the cannon for you!

Thanks for your interest,
Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Nice finds especially the cannon and wheel which I think may be bronze, you need to go back and find the rest as it may still be there. Great details on your research, hopefully no one on here recognizes the spot or you'll have them all over it. There are lots of lurkers on this site just waiting for this type of information. HH Charlie

Thanks very much Charlie! I find research is the key when your looking for relics like I do. If nothing ever happened there, there won't be anything to find right?

In researching this site, I found another site where a tavern used to sit. I'm not going to say any more then that, except now all I have to do is get permission from the landowner to detect.

Best of luck to you,
Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Nice finds those cannon,s are far and few found your,s is in great shape , Saturday i dug one also but just the breach end it looks like it exploded at the touch hole i tried to find the rest but no luck . Good hunt Jim

Those pics of your cannon find are great Jim! Thanks for posting them!
I can't remember the last time I saw a cannon posted on Tnet.

Take care man,
Dave