In this, the 200th anniversary year of the Battle of Waterloo, two London properties closely associated with the battle and its victorious commander, Wellington Arch and Apsley House, the Duke of Wellington’s home have  re-opened their doors following major English Heritage re-presentations. 

On 18 June 1815, in a terrible confrontation in present-day Belgium, the first Duke of Wellington commanded an allied army which, aided by the Prussian forces of Marshal Blucher, finally defeated the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. The victory ended over 20 years of conflict in Europe and the wider world. 

The new English Heritage exhibition at Wellington Arch is dedicated to the build-up, events and aftermath to one of the most important battles in English and European history while at Apsley House – directly opposite the Arch on Hyde Park Corner – visitors can find out more about the glittering London life of the Iron Duke.     

The 9th Duke of Wellington, who still lives at Apsley House, said: “In the year of the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo I am so pleased that both Apsley House and The Wellington Arch will be hosting special exhibitions. 

“We will be honouring and commemorating one of the most important battles in European History; the principle legacy of the battle was the long period of peace in Western Europe.” 

English Heritage’s Josephine Oxley, Keeper of the Wellington Collection at Apsley House and Wellington Arch, said: “We’ve brought together a fascinating collection of surviving objects from the 19th century’s most important battle, the ‘Great War’ of its age. Wellington Arch, the monument to the Duke and his famous victory, is the perfect venue in which to tell the story of Waterloo and explore its significance and its legacy. 

“At Apsley House, we look at the man behind the battle, what drove him and how Waterloo transformed him, both in public and in private. And 200 years after Waterloo, we can now reveal the scale of the banquets Wellington held every year to mark the early anniversaries of the battle.”   

Built in 1825-27, Wellington Arch at Hyde Park Corner was intended as a proclamation of Wellington’s victories over Napoleon. The Arch is surmounted by the largest bronze sculpture in Europe, depicting the angel of peace descending on the four-horsed chariot of war. 

The new exhibition at the Arch, ‘Waterloo 1815 – The Battle for Peace’, will give an overview of the battle, the reasons for it, the people involved in it, and its legacy. Items on display include the sword the Duke of Wellington carried at Waterloo, his handwritten battle orders on scraps of vellum, and an original pair of ‘Wellington boots’. The leather boots that Wellington had custom-made for campaigning were much admired and imitated: adapted over the years to new materials, they still remain popular today. 

Apsley House stands opposite the Wellington Arch; still home to the 9th Duke of Wellington, it has changed comparatively little since the first Duke lived there. The house was enlarged in 1828 while Wellington was Prime Minister by the architect Benjamin Dean Wyatt.

The Waterloo Gallery in Apsley House – where Wellington held the annual Waterloo Banquets to commemorate the great victory – has been re-presented by English Heritage. A copy of the only surviving menu plan from the annual banquets will go on display and the magnificent Portuguese silver gilt centrepiece and dinner service will be returned to the Gallery, taking its place on a formal banqueting table. The service was commissioned by the Portuguese Council of Regency in 1816 to honour Wellington’s role in liberating Portugal. 

  

On display for the bicentenary is a painting by Franz Xaver Winterhalter entitled ‘The First of May 1851’. Commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1851 and on special loan from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s private collection, it depicts the Duke of Wellington presenting a jewel casket to his godson, Prince Arthur, being held by Queen Victoria. Prince Albert stands behind, looking towards the Crystal Palace in the distance. This painting joins the colourful and contemporary Michael Craig-Martin artwork ‘The Great Duke after Lawrence’ commissioned by the 9th Duke of Wellington and on public display. A digital portrait based on the Thomas Lawrence painting of Wellington, it never displays the same colour combination twice. 

Elsewhere in the house, the basement galleries will be redisplayed with a host of Wellington and Waterloo memorabilia and visitors to Apsley House will be able to explore the collection via four new multimedia tours, including one dedicated to art lovers to explore the fascinating collection of works by prominent artists and also a tour dedicated to families to open up the treasures of the House to the next generation of visitors. There is also a fantastic programme of events, starting with a lecture series in May with guest speakers including the Duke and Duchess of Wellington as well as Peter Snow on his new book about Waterloo. 

Outside of London, Walmer Castle in Kent – where the Duke of Wellington spent part of each year in his role as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and where he died in 1852 – will be redisplayed and open on 5 June 2015 to shed light on the Duke and on the other fascinating figures from the castle’s history. New displays will chart Wellington’s career, the story of his time spent at Walmer, his death there, and the iconic ‘celebrity’ status he attained during and after his life.

 

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