Stone cannonball?

[azzy5463]

Hi there,
This was bought for me at a local antique shop in Derbyshire, England about a year ago, it was advertised as an English civil war stone cannonball. I suspected this wasn't correct as I would have thought cannonballs of that era would be made from cast iron? (I'm no expert!)
I'd just like to learn a little more about it really, if anyone could help me out that would be great!
Cheers

- Forgot to mention that it's roughly 5cm diametre

 

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[silvermagnet]

welcome to tnet azzy! i don't believe stone has ever been used to make cannonballs but maybe someone else here knows otherwise. actualy i just googled it and it was used to make cannonballs!

 

[nhbenz]

-Deleted as not relevant-

 

[creskol]

Maybe a ballast ball from an old ship.

 

[azzy5463]

Thanks, yeah I read that thread before I posted.. I just thought as this was found in England and not the US, it wouldn't be an Indian game ball as was suggested in the other thread and that someone might have some knowledge of old cannonballs used in Europe.

Also, thanks for the friendly welcome and all the replies!

 

[littleneckhalfshell]

Cannon balls can and were made of stone, though they were used in the very early days of cannon.

 

[surf]

Hello azzy,

Welcome to this place and thanks for showing us the ball. How about some photos in natural light and some measurements?

BBC - A History of the World - Object : Cannonball from the English Civil War

 

[azzy5463]

Thanks for the link, so I guess stone cannonballs were used in the civil war! Maybe that's what it is after all.
Just been out to take a few photos in the daylight...

 

[Ihatepoisonivy]

I remember a thread which cannonball guy spoke of stone balls or lead balls were used on farms in undulating equipment to grind up corn or or soften up other things to that effect.