Barak, the Demi-Culverin Drake

First appearing at Brill (Oxfordshire), in 1975 (and, therefore, old enough to have fought through the Bishop’s Wars, three civil wars and the Glorious Revolution), Barak is the Roundhead Association’s mighty demi-culverin drake – a towering presence on the battlefield and one of the largest manoeuvrable fieldpieces used during the English Civil War. Cared for and crewed by the Trayne of Artillery, Barak represents more than just a cannon. She is a statement of intent. A thundering reminder of true 17th-century firepower.

Named after the biblical commander who led Israel to victory in the Book of Judges, Barak lives up to her Hebrew translation as the “lightning” (because after a flash comes…). She is the largest working replica of a 17th-century gun used in reenactment in the UK, and appears only at select events – where her size, roar, and smoke give the public a visceral taste of early modern warfare. Where Barak goes, heads turn and ears ring.

Demi-culverin drakes were part of the Parliamentarian train of artillery from the very beginning. The Ordnance Office (a separate institution from the rest of the Army) included one in its very first order in August 1642, alongside 28 guns ranging from light fieldpieces to large siege guns and mortars. These demi-culverin drakes filled a crucial niche: by combining the firepower of a standard demi-culverin with the lighter weight and shorter barrel of a drake (a shorter and lighter version of more standard types), they offered increased mobility without sacrificing much in destructive power. Weighing around 1,500 lbs (680 kg) compared to the 2,500 lbs (1,133 kg) of their demi-sized counterparts, they were easier to transport and faster to deploy, making them a flexible asset in the field.

Operating on the flanks of battalia in batteries of 2, demi-culverin drakes were especially valued for their hitting power. They could individually equal the output of multiple lighter pieces or even an entire musket block. A standard powder charge of 3.5 lbs (1.5 kg) sent either a 9 to 12 lb (4kg to 5.4 kg) iron roundshot hurtling through gates, outworks, and flesh with equal indifference. Tests at Woolwich in 1652, for example, showed a 9 lb shot from a drake could smash through 19 inches of solid oak. Alternatively, loading with canister or case shot transformed the gun into a giant shotgun. At Alton Church, one such discharge from a drake into packed Royalist troops reportedly incapacitated “about fourscore”; at a skirmish in Abingdon, a single close range discharge from a drake felled half a dozen cavalrymen, including one unfortunate John Denton, who alone suffered up to 14 wounds.

Beyond damage, these guns also had psychological power. Indeed, in one incident in Cheshire, Sir William Brereton’s gunners used demi-culverin drakes to open fire on Royalist forces, “which wrought more terror than execution” in the rough terrain, but this was enough. The “enemy cry’d, let us flie, for they have Great Ordnance”, demonstrating how the mere presence of such firepower could win battles before they began.

The real strength of the demi-culverin drake, however, lay in its mobility and adaptability. Pulled by 4 to 6 horses and operated by a trained crew of 8, it could be repositioned more rapidly than its larger demi-culverin or ‘whole’ culverin siblings, allowing commanders to respond to unfolding battlefield conditions more effectively. On the other hand, it could also, when necessary, assist with sieges – albeit as one of the smaller guns present.

Barak is the only gun in the Roundhead Association that represents this class of weapon. All others (sakers, minions, falcons, and falconets) fall into the category of light field artillery. Barak alone occupies that critical middle ground: mobile enough for devastating battlefield use, but powerful enough to qualify as a siege piece. That makes her not just unique within the RA, but the ECWS as a whole. This isn’t just a technical distinction. It opens the door to new types of displays, deeper storytelling, and a more complete picture of how early modern warfare actually worked. Our events can show how a war was fought. Barak lets us show how it was won.

For you, that makes Barak more than just another bang on the field. She’s a spectacle, a centrepiece, and a powerful educational tool. She embodies the evolution of artillery in the Civil War and the growing emphasis on firepower, logistics, and strategic versatility. In short, if you want to be reminded that the English Civil War was fought not only with speed and skirmish, but with siege and strength, then you need to see – and hear – Barak in action.