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Histories of Northamptonshire
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Everard Bouverie's Waterloo Sword

1812 Stuart to Georgian

A cavalry officer’s heavy sword carried in the Battle of Waterloo, 1815. It is 102cm long, with a matching scabbard. It is made from metal with decoration on the blade called blue and gilt, which has now faded.

Everard Bouverie cavalry sword © Delapre Abbey
Cavalry sword of Everard Bouverie
close up of sword hilt
Close up of sword hilt
Print of Everard Bouveie in uniform by Alexandre-Jean Dubois Drahonet
Print of Everard Bouverie in uniform by Alexandre-Jean Dubois Drahonet

This sword belonged to Everard Bouverie of Delapré Abbey. Before he inherited the estate, he had a military career in the cavalry and we believe this is the sword he carried in the battles of Vitoria (1813), Toulouse (1814) and Waterloo (1815), part of the Peninsular Wars against Napoleon and France.

The sword is a rare example of a cavalry officer’s heavy sword, which were fighting swords. It is made even rarer because we know who it belonged to placing it at the Battle of Waterloo. The sword is also unusual because of the level of decoration on the blade.

Northampton
Contributed by Delapre Abbey Preservation Trust

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