Muskets first made an appearance in 16th century Europe and spelled the end of heavy plate armour. A common metal-detecting find, It's almost impossible to date musket balls, but the weapon became common by the 18th century, finally being replaced by repeating riles in the 19th century. It is likely that this musket ball is in the region of 200 - 300 years old.
Presented with the musket ball is an original flint, one of several thousand recovered from the 1805 wreck of the East India Company ship, The Earl of Abergavenny, which sank in the Weymouth Bay off the Dorset Coast, UK.
The ship was built in Kent in 1796 to trade with India and China. She was named after Henry Neville, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny, whose wife was related to William Wordsworth. In fact, the Wordsworth family had long-term connections with the East India Company, and the ship's captain at the time of the wreck was John Wordsworth, the poet's brother.
One of only five available at the Timeless Galleries
POST-MEDIEVAL MUSKET BALL AND FLINT
Acquired by Timeless by private sale, 2018. Originally discovered in North Norfolk, UK.