Household Cavalry at Hyde Park Barracks: A Knightsbridge Guide
The Household Cavalry's London horses live in Knightsbridge, at Hyde Park Barracks on the south edge of Hyde Park. From here the mounted soldiers of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment ride out through Hyde Park Corner to Horse Guards in Whitehall to mount the King's Life Guard, and the sight of a column of horses crossing Knightsbridge traffic is one of the most distinctive things about the neighbourhood. This guide covers the barracks, the guard ride and where to watch it, the history of Rotten Row, and where to learn more.
Hyde Park Barracks
There has been a cavalry barracks on this strip of land beside the park since the 1790s. The Survey of London records three generations of buildings: the first barracks begun in 1792, a Victorian rebuilding of 1878 to 1880, and the present complex, designed by Sir Basil Spence and built between 1967 and 1970. Spence's design, centred on a tall tower, was controversial from the start because of its impact on views from Hyde Park, and the Twentieth Century Society has since argued for its protection. The barracks is a working military base and is not open to visitors.
The guard ride to Horse Guards
According to the Household Cavalry Museum, the King's Life Guard rides from Hyde Park Barracks to Horse Guards via Hyde Park Corner, Constitution Hill and The Mall. Duty alternates between the two regiments, The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals, and each new guard serves for 48 hours. When the monarch is in London a long guard is mounted: an officer, a corporal major, two non-commissioned officers, a trumpeter and ten troopers. Otherwise a short guard of two non-commissioned officers and ten troopers rides out. Once the new guard takes over, the old guard rides back to Knightsbridge. The museum currently lists the Guard Change at 11am on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the schedule does change, so check before you plan a morning around it.
Where to watch in Knightsbridge
The best free vantage point is Hyde Park Corner, where the column crosses towards Constitution Hill. Better still, climb Wellington Arch, run by English Heritage: its balconies give panoramic views, and the arch's own guidance notes that with good timing you can watch the Household Cavalry pass beneath on the way to and from Horse Guards. Opposite stands Apsley House, the Duke of Wellington's London home, which makes a natural pairing for a morning of military history.
Rotten Row
The sandy track along the south side of Hyde Park has royal origins. The Royal Parks explain that King William III had 300 oil lamps installed on the route between St James's Park and Hyde Park, creating the first artificially lit highway in the country. That road became Rotten Row, a corruption of the French route de roi, or King's Road. It remains a riding track today, and Hyde Park Stables, based at 63 Bathurst Mews on the north side of the park, offers rides and lessons in the park every day for adults and children of all abilities. You can read more on the Royal Parks history of Hyde Park.
The Household Cavalry Museum
The museum is not in Knightsbridge but at Horse Guards in Whitehall, at the other end of the guard's route. It tells the story of the Household Cavalry, the King's bodyguard and the senior regiments of the British Army, and through a large glazed partition visitors can watch troopers working with horses in the original 18th-century stables. Tickets include an audio tour. Check for early closures around ceremonial events before you go, as the museum sometimes shuts in the afternoon for rehearsals.
Good to know
Give the horses plenty of room and stand back from the kerb at Hyde Park Corner, where the traffic is heavy. The nearest stations are Hyde Park Corner for the arch and Knightsbridge for the barracks end of the park. If you are making a morning of it, the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park sits right on the park edge for coffee afterwards.
