This Day in History: 1648-11-01

Parliamentarian John Grant was in charge of the artillery at Pontefract Castle. He was described as an ‘expert siege gunner’, who was in charge of a ‘great iron gunne’ at the battle of Chequerfield in March 1645. When the castle and the artillery were seized by Colonel Morris, Grant was imprisoned in the dungeon and could have been there for months. Grant’s wife was allowed in twice to see him in November 1648.