Musket Fired in Harthill Church

In 2018 several members from Harthill with Woodall Archaeology Group worked for a few weeks as volunteers on the Sheffield Castle excavation under the guidance of Wessex Archaeology North. Whilst, looking at some of the Mason's marks on the Sheffield Castle ruins, I spotted marks that seemed very similar to marks I had seen in All Hallows Church, Harthill.

The Mason's mark, resemble an executioner's axe and the stones at Sheffield Castle date from the same period as the columns in Harthill Church.

In 2019, I visited All Hallows Church to investigate the Mason's marks on the pillars in the church, and I found a very similar Mason's mark.

However, that was not the biggest surprise I discovered that day in Harthill Church. Whilst looking at the pillars on the north aisle I found evidence of what appears to be a musket ball splash mark on one of the pillars.

It seems incredible to think that sometime in the past, someone had once fired a musket in the church.