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Trafalgar Day gun marks anniversary at Fort Nelson

Trafalgar Day will be marked at Fort Nelson later this month with the firing of an original cannon, cast in 1805, of the kind used on board HMS Victory.

A uniformed crew of sailors will fire the recently-restored 12-pounder gun at the Royal Armouries' museum on Portsdown Hill, Fareham, on Sunday, October 19, and Tuesday, October 21, as part of a two-day event to mark Britain's great naval victory.

The battle saw Nelson defeat the French and Spanish, commanding from his flagship HMS Victory, now moored at nearby Portsmouth. It cost him his life and he died on-board after being hit by a French sniper's bullet. The victory at Trafalgar meant that Britain was safe from invasion and became the world's biggest naval power for many years.

As well as the gun firings at 12 noon and 3pm, the Royal Armouries will stage presentations marking the life of Lord Nelson, the Battle of Trafalgar and other great events in British Naval history.

The 203rd anniversary of the great battle falls on Tuesday, October 21, and has special significance for Fort Nelson.

Fort Operations Manager Mark Selwood said: "We wanted to mark the event as there are obvious links between the Fort and Nelson. The Fort was built to protect against possible invasion from the French at a later time and is named after his great monument on Portsdown Hill. The cannon is over 200 years old and is of the same type used on the top gun deck of the great line-of-battle ships, like HMS Victory, so, you never know, it could have seen some action at Trafalgar."

"The battle saw Nelson spectacularly defeat the French and Spanish navies, removing the threat of possible invasion of Britain - so we have much to be thankful for."

Museum entry is free and there is a whole range of attractions throughout the day, designed to appeal to young and old alike.

Note to editors:

Reporters and photographers are welcome at the Trafalgar Day events - gun firings at 12 and 3pm by uniformed actors. Please contact Catherine Kelly/Joss Loader, Primary PR Ltd, telephone: 01903 783832, 07704 130226, 07838 379599.
E-mail: info@primarypr.co.uk

Notes for editors:
1. The Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson houses the national collection of historic cannon and big guns. The museum houses one of the world's finest collections with over 350 cannon dating back over 600 years and from every corner of the earth. The collection originated from HM Tower of London and has been on display in Hampshire since 1995.
2. The Royal Armouries at Fort Nelson also tells the story of the Palmerston Forts, built to protect Portsmouth from a feared French invasion in the 1860's.
3. Every day, visitors can see one of the big guns fired in salute, watch our resident actors bring to life characters from 1,000 years of history, explore secret underground tunnels and enjoy incredible views from the ramparts. An extensive programme of special event spectaculars takes place throughout the year.
4. Fort Nelson is open every day except 24th, 25th & 26th December. April to October 10am -5pm (Wed 11am-5pm), November - March 10.30am - 4pm (Wed 11.30-4pm).
5. Admission to the Royal Armouries is FREE although admission charges apply to some events.
6. The fort's Powderkeg Café is open seven days a week offering home-cooked Hampshire fare.
7. Information line: 01329 233734
8. Website: www.royalarmouries.org
9. Email: fnenquiries@armouries.org.uk
10. The Royal Armouries is the national museum of arms and armour with sites at Fort Nelson, Leeds, HM Tower of London and Louisville, Kentucky, USA.