Birmingham Proof House, Military museum in Gun Quarter, Birmingham, United Kingdom
The Birmingham Proof House is a building in Gun Quarter that served as a testing facility for firearms and now houses a museum. It features a central bay with decorative trophy elements and a Jacobean-style gateway built in 1883.
The house was founded in 1813 through an Act of Parliament to regulate the city's growing firearms industry. It emerged from local manufacturers' need for official safety testing of their products.
The building documents Birmingham's long history of firearm manufacturing and the importance of quality control in this craft tradition. Visitors can see how the city became a center for this industry.
The building is located in Gun Quarter, a historic area full of former firearms factories and workshops. Visitors should know that access may be limited and it is advisable to check opening hours in advance.
Every firearm that passed the extreme pressure tests received a special stamp mark as proof of official testing. The sale of weapons without this mark remains illegal under British law today.
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