In this post I explore how a Civil War mortar at Goodrich Castle illustrates mathematical ideas about angles and projectile motion - part of a broader “Maths in Museums” series.
Introduction: Roaring Meg at Goodrich Castle
A found some maths at Goodrich Castle: a ten-minute drive from the Welsh border in Herefordshire, England, it has to be one of my favourites[1]. It's a Norman medieval ruin (now looked after by English Heritage) that played host to an English Civil War siege by Parliamentary forces upon the Royalist forces stationed there. Despite not having its defences updated to 17th-century standards the medieval castle stood up well to direct attacks and artillery was introduced, with Parliamentary Army Colonel John Birch commissioning the casting of a Civil War mortar called Roaring Meg.
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Roaring Meg at Goodrich Castle
© 2025 by
Thomas K. Briggs is
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