October 19th, 2011: Part V - Westminster on London Pass - The Royal Mews

 So, Mews were enclosures used to keep ravens which were molting. However, as London expanded and horses became necessary for travel - pulling carriages and riding daily - the streets on which Mews were located were the new homes of stables. 

The Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace is  a working stable! :-D The stable houses two main breeds of horses: Windsor Grays and Cleveland Bays. These horses have been proven to be the most outstanding and capable to draw carriages and have more even temperments that the previous breeds used at the Mews.

Here is the Cleveland Bay! I couldn't get a much better picture than this!

The beautiful Windsor Gray. Sorry for the fogginess.

These horses are employed to pull carriages for special occasions, like Prince William and Kate's wedding. Or, when the Queen goes out - for example for her upcoming Diamond Jubilee. The people who work at the Mews live above the stables as the horses require twenty-four-hour care. 

As you follow the walking tour you pass the carriage houses. The magnificent works of artisan ship vary in size, durability, craftsmanship and origin. Below are some of the ones that I thought were most beautiful. 

This is the model for the Semi-State and State Landau. This coach conveys high ranking ambassadors to Buckingham Palace to present their credentials to the Queen. The first landau was purchased by Queen Victoria for her coronation.

Queen Alexandra's state coach. This coach is used to convey the Queen's affects to the opening of Parliament. The State Crown is placed upon a red velvet cushion at the center of the carriage and the other affects - The Sword of State and the Cap of Maintenance are put on the seats.

The Scottish State Coach weight less than all the other coaches kept in the Mews. The bottom portion of the coach is the original build and frame of the 1830 glass coach. The glass windows were added to the coach in 1969 and it is still used today when the Queen makes a state visit to Scotland and is also used in the U.K. for other occasions.

The coach above is rarely used and requires four specially trained horses to pull it. It weighs four tons, measures twenty-four feet long -eight feet wide and twelve feet high. Joseph Wilton carved the decorations on the carriage: four seas gods (to represent England's naval power), three cherubs on the roof  (represent the union between England, Scotland, and Ireland), and palm tree branches - in the four corners which rise from a lion head (and are decorated to symbolize Britain's victory or France in the Seven Year's War. 

 These coaches are kept and maintained by the staff that live and work in the stables. Most of the carriage houses are in a newer part of the stable. The oldest part includes the Tack Room and the Original Stables. 

The harnesses kept and cared for in this tack room are used for ceremonial occasions. Some of the harnesses have over fifteen attachments and parts, including gilded connectors that need to be mended, oiled, cleaned, and polished after every use and before every occasion. Work is being done now on harnesses for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

John Nash designed the stables - which are the oldest part of the Royal Mews, to house thirty-two horses. All horses - whose names appear on green plaques (like the ones pictured below) were born in the stable and named by the Queen.

The Queen names all the horses and in 2004 Portsmouth was born.

I believe I took a picture of Likely Lad's plaque because he was born in 1990.

There are also other artifacts - such as the carriages used to transport the Princes and Princesses when they were children - which are elegant and simple versions of the gilded ones. Also on display in the Royal Mews are the cars - Rolls Royce Phantoms. They were introduced- to the dismay  of many barn hands and members of the royal family - King  .

This is a Rolls Royce Phantom IV. It is driven by the head Chauffeur and was used to transport Kate Middleton to her wedding.

Me with the Rolls Royce!

As you can see there are many beautiful coaches and other things to learns about when you go to the Royal Mews. There is a lot of information given in the audio tour -which is what you pay for when you enter. I recommend a visit to the Royal Mews for anyone who loves Monarchy History, Horses, and is a craftsman of any kind. 

It is only 7 pounds for students and 9 pounds for adults. It is definitely worth the trip down to the Westminster area. 

~ H.C.