Civil War cavalry soldier's coat made from Buffalo hide
These thick heavy coats were worn by cavalry soldiers of both sides in the English Civil War(1642 to 1651). It is called a buff coat because they were originally made from buffalo hide, they also gave their name to the colour buff.
Metal body armour was usually worn over the coat to protect the chest and back, and the thick skirt protected the soldier’s legs from swords and bullets on the battlefield. The sleeves are made in softer leather to allow the soldier to move his arms freely as he rode into battle, holding the reins in one hand and wielding his sword or pistol in the other.
Royalist troops often rested at Lamport Hall, which is only six miles from the battlefield at Naseby. King Charles I’s army was heavily defeated in the battle and only about 1,000 of his troops, mostly cavalry, escaped from the battlefield.
This blood-stained jacket, found in the loft above the stables at Lamport Hall, is thought to have belonged to a royalist soldier escaping the defeat at Naseby. The story goes that injured inbattle at least one man made it back to the sanctuary of Lamport, where he left his distinctive coat for a stable lad to find, leaving us to wonder who he was, and what became of him.
Number 54 of the objects selected for the A History of Northamptonshire in 100 Objects exhibition 2025.
© NMAG
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NMAG
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NMAG
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NMAG
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NMAG