Four wheeled state carriage with a box. Painted, black, with the arms of Fitz Maurice impaling Hamilton on the doors. Coronet-surmounted lamps. Interior trimmed in ivory ribbed silk.

Bit and reins. Probably from State Carriage. Previous lost number: FWK.LOST.332:1

Black leather. Probably from State carriage. Previous lost number: FWK.LOST.332:2

Black leather. Probably from state Carriage. Previous lost number: FWK.LOST.332:3

Black leather. Probably from State Carriage. Previous lost number: FWK.LOST.332:4

Black leather. Probably from state carriage. Previous lost number: FWK.LOST.332:5

Black leather. Probably from state carriage. Previous lost number: FWK.LOST.332:6

Buckle. Probably from state carriage. Previous lost number: FWK.LOST.332:7

Four wheeled state carriage, the body painted black with armorial decoration, the box covered by a hammercloth of drab-coloured facecloth with red bands woven with the arms of Fitz Maurice, and further enriched with crest and coronet in brass and with red and yellow fringes. Wheels and shaft picked out in red. Handles, buckles and other mounts of silver and brass enriched with coronets and acanthus foliage. Painted with the arms of Fitz Maurice impaling Hamilton for the 3rd Marquess of Landsdowne. The interior upholstered in an ivory moiré silk (possibly woven with linen warps), the hanging straps and window lifts of 3" brocaded ivory silk braid. The same bands are used to border 'envelope' pockets and flaps on the inner surfaces of the doors and front of the carriage. Similar paning is used on the top surface of the folding step. All three windows are fitted with ivory silk roller blinds, each with a lanyard in silk cord to prevent the blind flying up too far and snagging in the mechanism. The two squab seat cushions are covered with fine holland case covers, possibly original. The frames of the windows are covered, inside and out, in finely-woven napped wool (facecloth), the same cloth as is used for the coats of the liveries and the hammercloth. The floor is covered with a Brussels weave carpet, now largely lost. Folding steps. The cast-brass (probably gilded) finials on the corner of the roof are cast with the Lansdowne arms. The lamps also have finials or coronets.
The liveries match the hammer cloth of the carriage. These were made for the coronation of King George V in 1911 and were given by the 6th Marquess in 1930 (T.48 to T.50-1930)
The carriage has been re-painted and it is thought that the arms of the 3rd Marquess were added later.

Given by the5th Marquess of Lansdowne

Built for the 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne (1780-1863) and given by his grandon son, the 5th Marquess (1845-1927)
The liveries were made for the Coronation of George V in 1911. Lady Lansdowne travelled n the carriage when attending court functions.

Lent to the carriage museum, Maidstone (Registered File 46/2317)

State or Dress chariots (carriages) carried two passengers and were drawn by a pair of horses. The footmen in their employer's liveries, wore cocked hats and carried staves as protection.. The coachman was distinguished by his cocked hat.

State chariots were expensive carriages, used by members of the nobility for state occasions and to travel to and from court occasions. They were generally sobre in decoration, with the family's arms and crest the chief ornament and they would have been drawn by two bay (black) horses. The armorial ornaments were repeated on the liveries that the attending servants wore. A state chariot would have been attended by two footmen, standing up behind the carriage, as well as the coachman, seated on the box, on the sumptuously decorated hammercloth. Their liveries would have been similar, with woolen cloth coats and silk breeches, but the coachman would have worn a tricorn hat. The footmen would have carried gilded staves to ward off possible attacks.

The chariot is currently on loan to Tyrwhitt-Drake Museum of Carriages, Maidstone, Kent

W.9:1to8-1917