HMS DEFIANCE Ceremonial Tampion

This is the ceremonial tampion or decorative muzzle cover fitted to the barrel of one of the 2 pounder cannon removed from the 5th HMS DEFIANCE, one of Nelson's ships at the battle of Trafalgar.
Normally it would have been a simple wooden bung to keep the water out of the barrel but as this one's so fancy the gun may well have come from the captain's cabin or the quarterdeck. Certainly the gun has been polished a lot since it was cast as the royal arms engraved into the brass has been worn away.
The gun is now in the entrance to the building I work in which is quite fitting as we maintain and repair the modern warships running out of Plymouth a nice reminder of our history and those who have gone before us.