A soldier, in full uniform and holding a rifle, stands to attention next to the cannon of Mons Meg in Edinburgh Castle. A man leans against the weapon while a child sits on the barrel, the artillery piece sits on a gun carriage and there are cannonballs below the muzzle.
Mons Meg is a large siege gun presented to James II by Philip, Duke of Burgundy in 1457. It is one of a pair constructed in Mons in present day Belgium. The gun's sheer size limited its mobility and therefore its military utility. Mons Meg continued to be used for ceremonial purposes until 1681 when it burst whilst being fired to celebrate the Duke of Albany's birthday. It was repaired but has not been fired since.
