King Charles I Rocking Horse

 

Made in softwood and elm, this rocking horse pre-dates the earliest example in the Museum's collection of twenty rocking horses by 200 years, and is believed to be the oldest in existence in the UK. It has been dated to 1610.

In 1610, Charles I was ten years old. The second son of James VI and I and Anne of Denmark, he was a delicate child with well-documented poor health, walking and speech difficulties. The household accounts list the making of a type of wheelchair for his use and Sir Robert and Lady Carey, his guardians between 1605 and 1611, arranged remedial treatment for him.

There is apparently no contemporary record of a rocking horse for Charles, but intriguingly, a plaque attached to the base records that this horse was 'Purchased on June 18th 1906 at Cheshunt House, Hertfordshire'. If the horse belonged to any of the royal children, it may have been kept at Theobalds Palace, which is less than two miles away. Theobalds was a favourite residence of James VI and I, particularly for hunting, and it was there that he died and Charles was proclaimed King. In 1650, towards the end of the English Civil Wars, Theobalds was sold and largely demolished for rebuilding in the early 18th century. It is very likely that items from the palace found their way into the other large houses in the area, of which Cheshunt Great House was one.

Although it is impossible to prove the object's association with Charles I, there has been well-intentioned speculation throughout its history that it was a gift or purchase intended to help his weak legs recover from rickets. If indeed the horse belonged to Charles, it would probably date from 1605-08 as by 1610 he was ten years of age and had made significant improvements with his mobility.

Even if the horse's exact provenance remains unclear, it is believed to be one of the first English rocking horses and it is undoubtedly an extremely rare object of childhood material of its age and singularity.