As part of the twenty-first birthday ‘coming of age’ celebrations of Robert Williames Vaughan, 3rd Bart., on June 25th, 1824, the sound of ‘rock canon’ reverberated around Nannau and Dolgellau.

At day-break, 21 rounds of guns were fired off from Cader Idris, which were returned from guns placed on eminence, near Nannau.

Rock cannon were created by drilling several deep holes in large rocks, they were then filled with black powder (gun powder) and ignited to cause a series of loud explosions.

There were cannon on Foel Cynwch and Foel Offrwm, the two hills that overlook Nannau. There were also other cannon around the area.

They were popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth-century. See the Wikipedia entry on Rock Cannon to learn more.

Foel Offrwm Rock Cannon

Foel Offrwm Rock Cannon with Plas Nannau Hall and Nannau Home Farm
Foel Offrwm Rock Cannon with Plas Nannau Hall and Nannau Home Farm
Foel Offrwm Rock Cannon with Plas Nannau Home Farm and Cader Idris
Foel Offrwm Rock Cannon with Plas Nannau Home Farm and Cader Idris

Foel Cynwch Rock Cannon

Foel Cynwch Rock Cannon with Foel Offrwm and Plas Nannau Hall in the Distance
Foel Cynwch Rock Cannon with Foel Offrwm and Plas Nannau Hall in the Distance
Foel Offrwm Rock Cannon Holes
Foel Offrwm Rock Cannon Holes
Plas Nannau Hall and the Coach House from Foel Cynwch Rock Cannon Position
Plas Nannau Hall and the Coach House from Foel Cynwch Rock Cannon Position

Rock Cannon Positions on Foel Cynwch & Foel Offrwm