SADDLERS’ HALL – Home to the Worshipful Company of Saddlers
Private Guided Tour with the Beadle

The Worshipful Company of Saddlers is one of the oldest Livery Companies in the City of London, with the earliest surviving records dating from around 1160 AD.

On this special private tour with the Hall’s Beadle (the Beadle is a ceremonial officer who plays a key role in coordinating and managing various events within the company) we will learn about the history of the Company and about previous Halls that stood on this site. The current Hall is a neo-classical building, showcasing bespoke period furniture, historical artifacts, paintings and a fine silver collection.

For thousands of years, the horse was our primary means of travel, whether by horseback or horse-drawn carriage.
The concept of a saddle was transformational in the history of our relationship with these special animals. We’ll hear about the development of saddle design, from the twelfth century, but possibly as far back as Anglo-Saxon times, up to the present day. Even if you’ve never ridden yourself, I think you’ll find this interesting!

 Above: The Oldest known saddle in the world c. 375AD, Horse with Groom by George Stubbs – 1791 and a photograph of a saddled, long-haired buffalo in Tibet taken in 2006. These are NOT in the Hall’s collection, but I hope they illustrate the saddle’s significance in our collective history.

As we tour the Hall we’ll see items in their Historic Collection, including a Ballot Box (pictured left), which is possibly the oldest one still in existence and in use in England. Other items we’ll see are the Company’s Funeral Pall (the company’s cloth that is draped over a member’s coffin), which dates from 1508.

Today, the Company’s activities are based on charitable foundations that support and encourage the development of saddlery, equestrianism and education;  They are closely affiliated with The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment. The Master of The Worshipful Company of Saddlers is HRH The Princess Royal GCVO.

Next time you watch a spectacular Royal occasion, bear in mind how important the role of the saddle is in enabling the comfort and support for both the horse and the rider!

Image credits: Main image: Saddlers’ Hall, Gutter Lane by Christine Matthews (geograph.org)/George Stubbs Horse with a Groom/ Long haired buffalo, Tibet c. Dennis G. Jarvis – All Public Domain through Creative Commons/Use of all other photos by kind permission of The Worshipful Company of Saddlers