The Carriage Foundation

Almost every TV costume drama begins with the sound of horses’ hooves and the rumble of carriage wheels as members of the cast arrive at some stately home or other, ready for the story to unfold. And no royal or state occasion would be complete without the splendid sight of gilded coaches, harnessed horses, and postilions in livery. Despite these being thoroughly familiar scenarios, the knowledge and the skills involved in the use and care of carriages – a crucial part of our transport system until 100 years ago – have all but gone. That is why a group of museum curators, conservators, historians, and enthusiasts for horse-drawn vehicles came together in 1991 to form The Carriage Fo