The Hail Six Incorporated Trades of Kirkcudbright will hold a competition for the Siller Gun on Friday.
The tournament is being held to mark the Platinum Jubilee of HRH Queen Elizabeth II.
The Siller Gun is one of the oldest sporting trophies extant in the world. It was presented to the Royal Burgh of Kirkcudbright by King James VI of Scotland in 1587 “to be shot for occasionally in order to accustom the lieges in the use of firearms”.
It is a model of a gun of that period in silver and is about eight inches long. It bears the date 1787 and the initials TMC, thought to be those of Thomas McLellan of Bombie, Provost of the town at that time.
The Siller Gun has been shot for occasionally by the Incorporated Trades over the centuries, usually to mark the birth or elevation of a member of the Royal family. The only non Royal to have been honoured in this way was Robert Burns on the occasion of the centenary of his birth.
Deacons and Journeymen will compete for the trophy at 7pm tomorrow in the Scout Hall.
