Islands tend to trap artifacts, not only inanimate ones, but living relics who find comfort in the delicacies of existence on an atoll. That is not to say that everyone on our beloved Bermuda is such a relic or that some are even alive, but we do have some unique living curiosities, along with a multitude of others that were never alive, but which add immeasurably to our existence in what is yet something of a paradise.

After the 400th anniversary celebrations in 2009 of the settlement of Bermuda, we should have a better appreciation of how much duller our collective lives would be without the island's historic architecture, especially homes, forts and official buildings, like the Commissioner's House. The last structure contains Graham Foster's magnum opus (his thousand square foot painting of the history of Bermuda), opened by Her Majesty the Queen on November 25, 2009, 56 years to the date of her first visit to the island.

After showing this masterwork to a colleague, that person exclaimed: "I love this Island, I love my country", indicating, as was suggested to a forum (which otherwise could have been called "Heritage in Hard Times") at the Bermuda National Gallery, that art inspires and reinforces a sense of pride of place and cultural identity. The flourishes of the artist's brush aside, what really inspires is the content of the work. This is the case of the mural with its representations of cultural legacies fortuitously trapped on the Island, either by being cemented into place, or buried to await discovery in these archaeologically-conscious times.

Such was a find by volunteers at the Casemate Barracks Project of the National Museum of Bermuda in late 2009, though its uniqueness took time to ascertain.

But before we get onto that story, I would like to welcome back the readers of "Heritage Matters" in The Mid-Ocean News from February, 2005 to October, 2009. While thanking them for their feedback (which indicated the thirst most Bermudians and others have for such heritage data), my thanks go to the editors, the brilliant Tim Hodgson (I cannot however forgive him for describing me in one of his Editorials as "being about as huggable as a prickly pear") and the remarkable Ivan Clifford, to whose dedicated work the Heritage Matters column owed much. In all, 242 articles were published, not quite covering everything under the Bermuda Sun, but ranging across a wide African plain of "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?" subjects.

Some of the columns were excerpted by Bermuda Press's "Newspapers in Education" initiative by Jennifer Hind and were sent out to schoolteachers as PDF files. The 2005 and 2006 columns have been reproduced in book form as "Heritage Matters Volume 1" and "Heritage Matters Volume 2", thanks to grants by Bank of Bermuda Foundation. Three more volumes will be published to complete the reprintings from "The Mid Ocean News" 2005-9.

Given that some things were left out in those years, when Bill Zuill, the editor of The Royal Gazette, asked me to continue to bore you in 2010, I could not resist the temptation. I did ask for more square footage of print and a large pay rise, but such deserved emoluments were politely denied. Nonetheless, I thank The Royal Gazette for the opportunity to continue to bring you news of the old, and of heritage as it happens.

Thus we bring news of happening heritage with the discovery of a cannon found at Dockyard, which proved to be from the armories of the king who lost his head in 1649. In a number of places about the island, obsolete cannon were recycled as dock bollards, mooring weights and pivots, the last for new guns. One such cannon pivot was unearthed at Bastion "I" at the southern end of the Northwest Rampart connecting the Commissioner's House to the Casemate Barracks.

Upon cleaning by the National Museum conservator, Bindiya Bhatnagar, the "Tudor Rose and Crown" Royal Cypher and the initials C and R, for Charles Rex were found. Because of the nature of those emblems, the cannon was made for Charles I of England, who reigned during some of the early decades of the settlement of Bermuda. It was during his reign (1625-1649) that the first born-Bermudians would have come to maturity, speaking chronologically. The number 24 was cut into the gun near the Royal Cypher.

When Charles Trollope, an historic artillery expert and friend, was called upon, he wrote as follows.

"The gun is a Demi-Culverin Drake (firing a nine-pound cannonball) of eight foot and is one of either eight guns cast in 1637 or two cast in 1640. The term "Drake" refers to the shape of the chamber, which is in the form of a truncated cone. The shape of the button and the indented ring at the end of the second reinforce identify the caster as John Brown. The weight will be about 17-3-00 and the gun cast of "Fine Metal". I am only aware of Charles I guns having the addition of C R to the Rose and Crown.

"The Number 24 refers to the gun's position in the ship's battery, so the vessel was of some size. The most likely ship is HMS Lion (42 guns) rebuilt and enlarged in 1640 and therefore needing a few extra guns. So far your Charles I gun is the first to come to light, but never say never!"

That is to say that the gun trapped at Bermuda is apparently the first Charles I cast iron cannon known to exist; several bronze guns of the beheaded King, later canonised as "Saint Charles Stuart", are however to be found at the Tower of London.

Through a donation in memory of Douglas Anfossi made by his family and many friends, a replica carriage for this unique piece of international heritage will be built. The cannon will be placed on it on permanent display in the Bermuda Military Exhibit in the Commissioner's House.

Edward Cecil Harris, MBE, JP, PHD, FSA is Executive Director of the National Museum of Bermuda, incorporating the Bermuda Maritime Museum. Comments may be made to drharris@logic.bm or 704-5480