Shanklin Chine

A better than expected walk through the Shanklin Chine today, when we spotted a carronade (a little canon) and some words relating to it.  The storyboard suggested that it was first made by the Carron Company in Falkirk, but that there were 'other claimants' including Robert Melville and Richard Miller.  I was recently writing about Richard Miller in a section for the book I am currently writing (Slab Life 3!)  Miller apparently developed a novel type of boat at the end of the 18th century.  It was powered by men in a similar way to a pedalo, but it was huge and the British Navy basically told him to bugger off and take his invention somewhere else.  Well, he did.  He sent it to the King of Sweden who also thought Miller barking mad, but, was courteous enough to realise that if someone sends you a present, you should send one back.  So, he sent Miller a small snuff box richly decorated (one of the sides was a picture of his boat).  More excitingly, inside were some seeds.  Miller planted these seeds and a new crop was introduced to the UK.  Miller decided to call it the 'Swede' in commemoration of the gift coming from the King of Sweden.

So much more than just football - I'm surprised the earlier volumes haven't been flying off the shelves!