Description:This Barouche was the family vehicle of the Dyott family who lived at Freeford Hall in Lichfield. It dates from the 1840s and was probably built for Richard Dyott (1808-1891) when he retired from the Army and returned to live at Freeford. The paintwork is original and was conserved and restored in 1994. Yellow and black are probably the family’s livery colours, and the family crest is painted on the doors.
The Barouche is a leisurely carriage used mostly for family outings and day trips. It was introduced into this country from Germany in the mid 18th century. British versions were lighter and better finished. Barouches were expensive to build and so were a status symbol for those who owned them. They were built for luxury. This carriage has an extra folding piece on the hood known as a calash. This acted as a sun shade for passengers. The Barouche is a type of Landau, a coachman-driven four seater vehicle which is open but has two hoods. The distinctive feature of the Barouche is that it only has one hood at the rear and so could never be completely closed.
This horse-drawn carriage is from the Staffordshire County Museum collection. You can find out more about the Dyott Barouche and see 3D imaging that you can rotate and zoom in to explore detail at the Staffordshire Carriage Collection website: http://www.staffordshirecarriages.org.uk/barouche/