Some bollards aren’t quite what they seem

We've all probably seen bollards in our local area. They can be outside banks, shops, and schools, in local parks, and along riversides. Some are static and immobile, whereas others can fold down or even rise out of the floor.

Most of us will look at them and simply carry on with our day with no mind. However, some are more than they seem and have a really interesting past. We want to have a quick look at this here to give you some history about them.

Old ordnance

Across London one type of bollard you can see quite regularly is tall black ones. They usually have a wider bottom then taper to a lip at the top. There can also be a rounded ball on top. While they might look like typical bollards, they are actually old French cannons or replicas of them.

England (then Great Britain) and France were at war for centuries. There was fighting on and off from as early as 1689 all the way to 1815. In the late 18th century after the French Revolution and during the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), there were numerous battles, many at sea.

As part of the naval warfare, the British began stripping as much salvage as they could from French vessels. The idea was to take everything that could be useful, especially ordnance. Cannons were a common target. However, their size meant it was difficult to retrofit many of them on British ships. Instead, many were brought back to London. They were soon repurposed as bollards.

There are some of these bollards in London that reportedly come from the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. As a result, they are more historically significant than many people realise.

Impressively the initial use would have been somewhat similar to today. The main aim is to restrict vehicles from going where they shouldn't, especially into pedestrian areas. These old cannons would have had the same purpose, but were dealing with horses and carts rather than automobiles. Some would also have been for posts to hitch horses.

Do you need high quality bollards?

At Barrier Mart, we appreciate why these products are so important. They are vital for safety, traffic control, congestion management, and more. We work to provide reliable, high quality ones that are suitable for almost any location. You can ask us for advice and recommendations if you are unsure of what to choose.

So, contact us today or browse our website to see what bollards we offer. Then order for fast delivery and installation if you need it.