William III and the War in Ireland in Twelve Objects: 1. King William’s Saddlecloth:

This item originally belonged to King William III and was given to Colonel Carey after the Battle of the Boyne. It is gold embroidered onto crimson.

The parchment contained in the centre gives the background of the piece and its place in the history of events in Ireland. The item was eventually acquired by the Blacker family in County Armagh.

Like so many other items on display in the museum, it was given to the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland in 1871. In that year, a committee was established and tasked with creating an Orange Museum.

Although this was not realized, many of the gentry families associated with the early Orange movement, donated items of historical interest.

These are now on display in the Museum of Orange Heritage.

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