Artillery Hall

The Artillery Hall is dominated by the imposing 18-inch Howitzer – the Railway Gun, British 1918.

Getting up close to this super-heavy piece of artillery is the best way to comprehend its size and appreciate the manufacturing expertise in its construction.

The barrel, weighing 85 tons, was designed to throw a shell of 1.12 tons, to a range of 13 miles. It is currently on loan to the Royal Armouries from the Royal Artillery Historical Trust.

The Artillery Hall also houses some of the finest early bronze guns to the heavy guns of the 18th and 19th Century.

Some of the main weapons of the First World War, Second World War and Cold War are also on show – including the 18-pounder Quick-Firing Field Gun which served the British Army in the First World War and the Gun/Howitzer N-45, which was designed by Gerald Bull for the Iraqi Army.