Board of Ordnance
The British Board of Ordnance was responsible for the design, testing and production of armaments and munitions. It also produced maps for military purposes (one of its 18th century map-makers was noted water-colour artist Paul Sandby), a function later taken over by the Ordnance Survey. The board's headquarters were in the Tower of London.
The board was incorporated into the War Office in 1855 as the Department of the Master-General of the Ordnance.