How you can use this image
This image can be used for non-commercial research or private study purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).
Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.
The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.
Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.
Notes
Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can find notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.
John McKenna's 'Spiking the Gun' is situated on the Old Quay and depicts a scene from Whitehaven Harbour’s rich history. The male figure, frozen in time as he wields a heavy hammer is an imitation of privateer John Paul Jones, captain of the ship the 'Ranger' during the American War of Independence. During the April of 1778 he attacked Whitehaven Harbour, planting bombs inside numerous ships and, as this sculpture represents, spiking cannons. Spiking a cannon consists of striking a spike into the fuse hole of a gun, disabling it and thus removing a form of defence, diminishing the strength of any counterattack. Despite the magnitude of his attack – Jones spiked 36 cannons in total – he was eventually driven back by British gunfire, the effects of his attack short lived as the fires were quickly quenched.
Title
Spiking the Gun
Date
2005
Accession number
CA28_RT_S054
Acquisition method
commissioned by the Harbour Renaissance Improvement Scheme; National Lottery
Work type
Statue
Work status
extant
Access
at all times