Worshipful Company of Saddlers
Encyclopedia
The Worshipful Company of Saddlers is one of the most ancient of the Livery Companies of the City of London
. The Guild of Saddlers, the Company's predecessor, is thought to have been an Anglo-Saxon Craft Guild – it certainly existed at some point in the eleventh century. The Guild became a Company when a Royal Charter
of incorporation was granted by King Edward III in 1363. The City granted the Company the right to regulate the trade of saddle-making; all saddlers in and within two miles of the City were subject to the Company's regulations. However, the powers of the Company, which has existed on the same site in Cheapside (formerly West Chepe) since 1160, were eroded over time. Nowadays the Company retains strong affiliations with the saddlery trade, sponsoring the Society of Master Saddlers and giving prizes for deserving young riders at equestrian events. The Company is an institiution which is charitable rather than a charitable institution and it supports many good causes, promotes scholarships at Alleyn's School, has strong links with the Household Cavalry and the King's Troop R.H.A. as well as with other regiments and Livery Companies traditionally involved with leather or horses.
The Company ranks twenty-fifth in the order of precedence
of Livery Companies (the order was settled in 1515 on the Companies' economic or political power at that time). Unusually, the Saddlers Company has two mottoes: Hold Fast, Sit Sure and "Our Trust Is In God".
As well as the usual livery company categories of membership of freeman and lliveryman, the Worshipful Company of Saddlers has a category of yeoman. Notable yeomen include HRH The Princess Royal
, Peter Walwyn (Chairman of the Lambourn Trainers Association), and Richard Meade
.
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The Guild of Saddlers, the Company's predecessor, is thought to have been an Anglo-Saxon Craft Guild – it certainly existed at some point in the eleventh century. The Guild became a Company when a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
of incorporation was granted by King Edward III in 1363. The City granted the Company the right to regulate the trade of saddle-making; all saddlers in and within two miles of the City were subject to the Company's regulations. However, the powers of the Company, which has existed on the same site in Cheapside (formerly West Chepe) since 1160, were eroded over time. Nowadays the Company retains strong affiliations with the saddlery trade, sponsoring the Society of Master Saddlers and giving prizes for deserving young riders at equestrian events. The Company is an institiution which is charitable rather than a charitable institution and it supports many good causes, promotes scholarships at Alleyn's School, has strong links with the Household Cavalry and the King's Troop R.H.A. as well as with other regiments and Livery Companies traditionally involved with leather or horses.
The Company ranks twenty-fifth in the order of precedence
Order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
of Livery Companies (the order was settled in 1515 on the Companies' economic or political power at that time). Unusually, the Saddlers Company has two mottoes: Hold Fast, Sit Sure and "Our Trust Is In God".
As well as the usual livery company categories of membership of freeman and lliveryman, the Worshipful Company of Saddlers has a category of yeoman. Notable yeomen include HRH The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, Peter Walwyn (Chairman of the Lambourn Trainers Association), and Richard Meade
Richard Meade
Richard John Hannay Meade, OBE is a British equestrian expert and Olympic gold medal winning rider, tipped at one time to be the future husband of Princess Anne.In 1964, Meade won the Burghley Horse Trials on Barberry...
.