Horse Guards (building)

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Horse Guards
Horse Guards (West Face - 01).jpg
Horse Guards viewed across Horse Guards Parade with the London Eye Ferris wheel in the background.
Horse Guards (building)
General information
Type Military headquarters, barracks and stables
Architectural style Palladian
Location London, SW1
Construction started1750
Completed1759;265 years ago (1759)
Technical details
Floor countfour
Design and construction
Architect(s) William Kent, John Vardy and William Robinson

Horse Guards is a historic building in the City of Westminster, London, between Whitehall and Horse Guards Parade. It was built in the mid-18th century, replacing an earlier building, as a barracks and stables for the Household Cavalry. The current and previous buildings were, between the early 18th century and 1858, the main military headquarters for the British Empire. Horse Guards originally formed the entrance to the Palace of Whitehall and later St James's Palace; for that reason it is still ceremonially defended by the King's Life Guard.

Contents

Although still in military use, part of the building houses the Household Cavalry Museum which is open to the public. It also functions as a gateway between Whitehall and St James's Park.

History

Old Horse Guards from St James's Park in 1749; painting by Canaletto. Giovanni Antonio Canal, il Canaletto - London - the Old Horse Guards and Banqueting Hall, from St James's Park - WGA03949.jpg
Old Horse Guards from St James's Park in 1749; painting by Canaletto.

The first Horse Guards building was commissioned by King Charles II in 1663, [1] on the site of a cavalry stables which had been built on the tiltyard of the Palace of Whitehall during the Commonwealth. Built of red brick and costing some £4,000, it comprised a central range with a clock tower, under which an arch connected Whitehall with St James's Park; two wings enclosed a courtyard with two large sentry boxes for mounted troopers on the Whitehall side, facing the palace gate. Entry to the park, then an enclosed private garden, was controlled by special ivory passes issued to favoured courtiers, a tradition which continues to the present, although the modern passes are made of plastic; only the monarch has the right to drive through the arch without a pass. Initially, the building was intended only to accommodate the King's Guard and included stabling for more than a hundred cavalry horses on the ground floor, as well as separate barracks for the foot guards. Following a fire at Whitehall in 1698, the court transferred to St James's Palace, therefore the function of Horse Guards changed to controlling the ceremonial approach to St James's from Westminster. [2]

A plan of William Kent's design for the new Horse Guards, dated 1750, the year that work commenced but after Kent's death. Horse Guards 1750.jpg
A plan of William Kent's design for the new Horse Guards, dated 1750, the year that work commenced but after Kent's death.

In the following decades, Horse Guards was increasingly used as administrative offices for the growing regular army and soon became overcrowded. The fabric of the building was also allowed to deteriorate; pieces of falling masonry were said to be a danger to the sentries. In 1745, King George II commissioned a new building in the fashionable Palladian style by the architect William Kent. Having to reuse the same plot of land, Kent managed to retain essentially the same plan as the original building while doubling the interior space. [2] Kent died in April 1748 before the old Horse Guards had been demolished; work on the new building commenced in 1750 under the direction of Kent's assistant, John Vardy [1] and William Robinson from the Office of Works. [3] The cost of the buildings was £65,000 and took nearly ten years to complete. The Household Cavalry moved into the northern wing of the uncompleted building in 1755; at that time, there was stabling for 62 horses compared to 17 today. Originally, the two wings were connected to the central block by single storey ranges; in 1803-5 a further two floors were added to these, giving the building its present appearance. [2] Kent's decision to retain a Baroque clock tower on his new Palladian building resulted in a peculiar blend of styles, perhaps the cause of it being described by Charles Knight as "the ugliest building in the metropolis". [4]

The building also served as the offices for the various administrative departments responsible to the Secretary at War, which would eventually become formalised as the War Office. Also located at Horse Guards was the office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. [5] Hence, for many decades the term 'Horse Guards' was used as a metonym for British Army headquarters. Two famous occupants of the office, a room originally intended for courts-martial, were Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (1795–1809), popularly believed to be "The Grand Old Duke of York", and the Duke of Wellington (1827–28 and 1842–1852). Wellington's coffin rested in this room on the night before his state funeral in 1852. [6] The final Commander-in-Chief at Horse Guards was Prince George, Duke of Cambridge, who was so reluctant to move to the new War Office building at Cumberland House in Pall Mall that he had to be ordered to vacate the building by Queen Victoria in 1858. Wellington's desk is preserved in the same room, which is now the office of the Major-General Commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District. [2] Horse Guards subsequently became the headquarters of two major Army commands: the London District and the Household Cavalry. [5]

Horse Guards Clock, dating from 1756 Clock Tower, Horseguards Parade, London SW1 - geograph.org.uk - 1409557.jpg
Horse Guards Clock, dating from 1756

At the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony in June, members of the Royal Family who are not participants watch the parade from the windows of Wellington's office over the archway. [7]

Horse Guards Clock

The clock is sited in the turret above the main archway; it has two faces, one facing Whitehall and the other, Horse Guards Parade, each dial being 7 feet 5 inches (2.26 metres) in diameter. It strikes the quarter-hours on two bells. Originally made by Thwaites in 1756, the clock was rebuilt in 1815–16 by Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, the clockmaker to King George III. [8] Prior to the completion of the clock of Big Ben in 1859, the Horse Guards Clock was the main public clock in Westminster. A dark stain above the Roman number two on the clock face is supposed to mark the time of the execution of King Charles I in 1649, which took place in the roadway outside Horse Guards. [9] The annual ceremony of Trooping the Colour commences when the Horse Guards Clock strikes eleven. [10]

Household Cavalry Museum

Horse Guards as seen from Whitehall. Household Cavalry Museum - Joy of Museums.jpg
Horse Guards as seen from Whitehall.

The Household Cavalry Museum is the official museum of the Household Cavalry and is located in the Horse Guards. Visitors can view the horses in the 18th-century working stables through a glazed partition. Exhibits explain the training and history of the regiment and include ceremonial uniforms, regalia, royal standards, awards, musical instruments, horse furniture and silverware by Fabergé. Visitors to the museum are welcome to watch the afternoon inspection of the guards and horses that happens daily at 4 pm. This routine began in 1894 when Queen Victoria found the guards drinking and gambling in the afternoon instead of tending to their duty. She proclaimed that they would be punished by a four o'clock inspection daily for the next 100 years. This proclamation and punishment officially expired in 1994, but Queen Elizabeth II chose to continue the inspection out of respect for tradition. [11]

Ceremonial

The daily ceremony of Changing The King's Life Guard on Horse Guards Parade. Horseguardwithehall.JPG
The daily ceremony of Changing The King's Life Guard on Horse Guards Parade.

Every morning, the mounted King's Life Guard rides from Hyde Park Barracks in Knightsbridge, by way of Hyde Park Corner, Constitution Hill and The Mall, to take over guard duties in a ceremony at 11:00 am, or 10:00 am on Sundays. The guard is usually provided by the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, which consists of a squadron from each of the Household Cavalry regiments; the Life Guards who wear red tunics and white helmet-plumes, and the Blues and Royals who wear blue tunics and red plumes. However, some other mounted units from Britain and other Commonwealth realms occasionally mount the guard; the King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are examples.

When the monarch is in London, the guard consists of one officer and twelve other ranks including a trumpeter and standard bearer; known as a Long Guard. When the monarch is not in London, the guard is reduced to two non-commissioned officers and ten troopers; known as a Short Guard.

The ceremony of Changing The King's Life Guard takes place on Horse Guards Parade adjacent to the Horse Guards building. Two mounted sentries guard the entrance to Horse Guards on Whitehall from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm and are changed every hour. There is a dismounted parade at 4:00 pm (described above) and two dismounted sentries remain on duty until 8:00 pm. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trooping the Colour</span> Military ceremony in the British Army and other Commonwealth militaries

Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign. It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. In the UK, it is, with the State Opening of Parliament, the biggest event of the ceremonial calendar, and watched by millions on TV and on the streets of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Horse Guards</span> British Army cavalry regiment

The Royal Regiment of Horse Guards, also known as the Blues, or abbreviated as RHG, was one of the Cavalry regiments of the British Army, and part of the Household Cavalry. In 1969, it was amalgamated with the 1st The Royal Dragoons to form the Blues and Royals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foot guards</span> Senior infantry regiments in some militaries

In some militaries, foot guards are senior infantry regiments. Foot guards are commonly responsible for guarding royal families or other state leaders, and they also often perform ceremonial duties accordingly, but at the same time are combat soldiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Household Division</span> Military unit

The Household Division forms a part of the British Army's London District and is made up of five regiments of foot guards and two Household Cavalry regiments. The division is responsible for performing public duties and state ceremonies in London and Windsor. Such functions include the State Opening of Parliament, Trooping the Colour, and mounting the King's Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horse Guards Parade</span> Square and parade ground in London

Horse Guards Parade is a large parade ground off Whitehall in central London. It is the site of the annual ceremonies of Trooping the Colour, which commemorates the monarch's official birthday, and the Beating Retreat.

The Household Cavalry (HCAV) is a corps of the Household Division that is made up of the two most senior regiments of the British Army – The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals. They have taken part in every major conflict since 1660. These regiments are divided between the Household Cavalry Regiment stationed at Wing Barracks in Wiltshire, with an armored reconnaissance role, and the ceremonial mounted unit, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, garrisoned at Hyde Park Barracks in London. Both the HCMR and HCR are made up of elements of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals. The Household Cavalry is part of the Household Division and is the King's official bodyguard. Although the Household Cavalry Regiment is armoured, it is not part of the Royal Armoured Corps, being assigned to the Household Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guard mounting</span> Formal military ceremony

Guard mounting, changing the guard, or the changing of the guard, is a formal ceremony in which sentries performing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries. The ceremonies are often elaborate and precisely choreographed. They originated with peacetime and battlefield military drills introduced to enhance unit cohesion and effectiveness in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery</span> Ceremonial mounted unit of the British Army

The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, is a ceremonial unit of the British Army, quartered at Woolwich. It is a mounted unit and all of its soldiers are trained to care for and drive teams of six horses, each team pulling a First World War-era QF 13-pounder gun; six teams are used in the unit's Musical Drive. The Troop's duties include firing salutes on royal and state occasions, participation in parades, and the duties of the King's Life Guard at Horse Guards for one month each year. The unit provides the gun carriage and team of black horses for state funerals. The unit is most often seen providing gun salutes on state occasions in Hyde Park, and Green Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Guard</span> Military units charged with protecting the royal residences of the United Kingdom

The King's Guard are sentry postings at Buckingham Palace and St James's Palace, organised by the British Army's Household Division. The Household Division also mounts sentry postings at Horse Guards, known as the King's Life Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life Guards (United Kingdom)</span> British military unit

TheLife Guards (LG) is the most senior regiment of the British Army and part of the Household Cavalry, along with The Blues and Royals.

Horse Guards or horse guards can refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Horse Artillery</span> Military unit of the British Army

The Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) was formed in 1793 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery to provide horse artillery support to the cavalry units of the British Army. Although the cavalry link remained part of its defining character, as early as the Battle of Waterloo the RHA was sometimes deployed more along the lines of conventional field artillery, fighting from comparatively fixed positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Public duties</span>

Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyde Park Barracks, London</span> British army base in central London, England

The Hyde Park Barracks are in Knightsbridge in central London, on the southern edge of Hyde Park. They were often known as Knightsbridge Barracks and this name is still sometimes used informally. The barracks are 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) from Buckingham Palace, enabling the officers and soldiers of the Household Cavalry to be available to respond speedily to any emergency at the Palace, practice drills at Horse Guards Parade or beyond and conduct other more ceremonial duties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London District (British Army)</span> Command of the British Army

London District (LONDIST) is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. It was established in 1870 as Home District.

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army tasked primarily with ceremonial duties. Part of the Household Division, it is classed as a regiment of guards, and carries out mounted ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions. The HCMR is one of two operational units that form the Household Cavalry (HCav), the other being the Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR), a formation reconnaissance regiment, with front-line combat duties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horse Grenadier Guards</span> British cavalry troops

The Horse Grenadier Guards, usually referred to as Horse Grenadiers, were a series of cavalry troops in the British Household Cavalry between 1687 and 1788, who used grenades and other explosives in battle. Originally attached to the Horse Guards, they became independent for a century before being disbanded. However, the men of the troops formed the basis of the new troops of Life Guards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry</span> British mounted band (2014-)

The Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry is a British Army band which ceremonially serves the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR). The HCMR Band is the largest symphonic wind band in the British Army. It is one of the bands of the Royal Corps of Army Music (RCAM) and is currently based at Hyde Park Barracks and Combermere Barracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cavalry Staff Corps</span> Military unit

The Cavalry Staff Corps was a unit formed during the Napoleonic Wars to keep discipline in the British Army. Consisting of four troops of cavalry, the corps was first raised in 1813 during the Peninsular War to deal with an excess of criminality and desertion in the Duke of Wellington's armies. It was disbanded after that campaign ended in 1814 but was reformed in 1815 during the Hundred Days campaign. The corps also served in the subsequent occupation of France. The unit was Britain's first standing military police force. A successor unit was raised for service in the Crimean War of 1853–1856 and a permanent military police was established in 1877.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Trooping the Colour</span> Parade for the Queens Official Birthday

The 2022 Trooping the Colour ceremony was held on Thursday 2 June 2022, as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II. Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians came together in the traditional parade to mark the Queen's Official Birthday, which usually takes place on the second Saturday of June. It was the final Birthday Parade to take place under the reign of Elizabeth II before her death on 8 September later that year.

References

  1. 1 2 Tabor (2010) , p. 18
  2. 1 2 3 4 HQ London District. "Visitor's Guide to Horse Guards". www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "Horse Guards: A Grade I Listed Building in St James's, London". www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  4. ↑ Stocqueler (1873) , p. 8
  5. 1 2 Tabor (2010) , p. 19
  6. ↑ Gleig, George Robert (1865). The Life of Arthur, Duke of Wellington. London: Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer. p. 459.
  7. ↑ McKenzie, John M., ed. (1992). Popular imperialism and the military. Manchester University Press. p. 32. ISBN   0-7190-3358-6.
  8. ↑ Timbs, John (1855). Curiosities of London: Exhibiting the Most Rare and Remarkable Objects of Interest in the Metropolis. Fleet Street, London: David Bogue. p.  378-380.
  9. ↑ Duncan, Andrew (2006). Secret London. New Holland Publishers. p. 116. ISBN   978-1-84537-305-4.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. ↑ Paget, Julian (1979). The Pageantry of Britain. London: Michael Joseph Ltd. p. 31. ISBN   978-0718118051.
  11. ↑ "The Household Cavalry Museum". www.householdcavalrymuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  12. ↑ "The Queen's Life Guard". www.householddivision.org.uk. The Household Division. Retrieved 10 January 2021.

Bibliography

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