The Land Pattern flintlock musket was more commonly known as ‘Brown Bess’. The origins of the name are disputed. It may refer to the colour resulting from the treatment of the barrel or it may be a corruption of the German braun buss, meaning 'brown gun'. Bess was the first pattern firearm used by British land forces, which meant that it used standardized parts and ammunition that could be easily replicated and replaced. Credit for its design lies with Andrew Dolep, a Dutch gunmaker who settled in Charing Cross, London. It was in use by British troops for more than a century from 1722 until the mid-1800s, and in other parts of the world for longer still.

A soldier armed with a Brown Bess could load and fire two or three rounds per minute, but as a smoothbore, muzzle-loading weapon, it was only accurate to 80 yards so it was most effective when used en masse in volley fire (only elite units of sharpshooters used rifles at this time).

Various patterns were produced, but all took the same 18mm lead ball and all lock plates were engraved with a crown and royal cipher to certify official issue. This is the 3rd Model or ‘India Pattern’ musket, in use between 1790 and 1854. Originally manufactured as the weapon of the East India Company troops, its popularity and cheapness meant that it was also widely issued to the regular army during the arms crisis of the Napoleonic Wars. This example dates to 1810–1815 and bears the mark of George III and the word ‘Tower’, being one of many weapons made at the workshops of the Tower of London and Tower Wharf.