Coat of arms of Kirklees
Encyclopedia
The coat of arms of Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council was granted on 24 June 1974. This was just a few months after the district of Kirklees
was created as part of the new metropolitan county of West Yorkshire
. It is rarely used by the Council
who, until 2007, preferred to use a logo
that is based upon the arms.
The green shown on the shield signifies the green fields that form a large part of the district's outlying rural areas. This is intersected by a silver bend
along with a wavy blue lines. These features represent the M62 motorway
, which traverses the north, and the rivers and canal
s of the district. The two cog
s represent the industrial heritage of the area with its many mills.
The Paschal lamb
is the emblem of John the Baptist
, the patron saint of wool workers. The crest
of a ram's head is a synonymous symbol of Huddersfield
for many years. It was also displayed on the arms of Mirfield
. The ram's head sits on a mural crown
which is common on municipal arms. The purple lion
supporters
are taken from the arms of the de Lacy family who were medieval lords of Huddersfield.
, of the arms is:
For the arms: Vert on a Bend Argent a Bendlet wavy Azure on a Chief Or a Pale between two Cog-Wheels Azure on the Pale a Pascal Lamb supporting a Staff Or flying therefrom a forked Pennon Argent charged with a Cross Gules; and for the crest: On a Wreath of the Colours a Ram's Head affronty couped Argent armed Or gorged with a Mural Crown Sable masoned Argent; and for the supporters: On either side a Lion rampant guardant Purpure resting the inner hind leg on a Cross Crosslet Or embellished in each of the four angles with a Fleur de Lis Azure; Motto: 'TOGETHER WE SERVE'.
Kirklees
The Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 401,000 and includes the settlements of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Denby Dale, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield, Kirkburton, Marsden, Meltham, Mirfield and Slaithwaite...
was created as part of the new metropolitan county of West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
. It is rarely used by the Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
who, until 2007, preferred to use a logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
that is based upon the arms.
The green shown on the shield signifies the green fields that form a large part of the district's outlying rural areas. This is intersected by a silver bend
Bend (heraldry)
In heraldry, a bend is a coloured band running from the upper right corner of the shield to the lower left . Writers differ in how much of the field they say it covers, ranging from one-fifth up to one-third...
along with a wavy blue lines. These features represent the M62 motorway
M62 motorway
The M62 motorway is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting the cities of Liverpool and Hull via Manchester and Leeds. The road also forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E20 and E22...
, which traverses the north, and the rivers and canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s of the district. The two cog
Gear
A gear is a rotating machine part having cut teeth, or cogs, which mesh with another toothed part in order to transmit torque. Two or more gears working in tandem are called a transmission and can produce a mechanical advantage through a gear ratio and thus may be considered a simple machine....
s represent the industrial heritage of the area with its many mills.
Lamb of God
The title Lamb of God appears in the Gospel of John, with the exclamation of John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" in John 1:29 when he sees Jesus....
is the emblem of John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
, the patron saint of wool workers. The crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
of a ram's head is a synonymous symbol of Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
for many years. It was also displayed on the arms of Mirfield
Mirfield
Mirfield is a small town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is located on the A644 road between Brighouse and Dewsbury...
. The ram's head sits on a mural crown
Mural crown
-Usage in ancient times:In Hellenistic culture, a mural crown identified the goddess Tyche, the embodiment of the fortune of a city, familiar to Romans as Fortuna...
which is common on municipal arms. The purple lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
supporters
Supporters
In heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. These figures may be real or imaginary animals, human figures, and in rare cases plants or inanimate objects...
are taken from the arms of the de Lacy family who were medieval lords of Huddersfield.
Blazon
The formal description, or blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
, of the arms is:
For the arms: Vert on a Bend Argent a Bendlet wavy Azure on a Chief Or a Pale between two Cog-Wheels Azure on the Pale a Pascal Lamb supporting a Staff Or flying therefrom a forked Pennon Argent charged with a Cross Gules; and for the crest: On a Wreath of the Colours a Ram's Head affronty couped Argent armed Or gorged with a Mural Crown Sable masoned Argent; and for the supporters: On either side a Lion rampant guardant Purpure resting the inner hind leg on a Cross Crosslet Or embellished in each of the four angles with a Fleur de Lis Azure; Motto: 'TOGETHER WE SERVE'.
See also
- Coat of arms of West YorkshireCoat of arms of West YorkshireThe Coat of arms of West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council was granted in 1975 to the new Metropolitan county council created in the previous year...
- Coat of arms of BradfordCoat of arms of BradfordThe Coat of arms of Bradford City Council was granted in 1976. The present City of Bradford was created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 and is one of five metropolitan boroughs of West Yorkshire...
- Coat of arms of CalderdaleCoat of arms of CalderdaleThe Coat of arms of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council was granted to the new council of Calderdale just a few months after the district was created as part of the new metropolitan county of West Yorkshire in 1974.-Symbolism:...
- Coat of arms of HuddersfieldCoat of arms of HuddersfieldThe Coat of arms of Huddersfield was the official symbol of the local government of Huddersfield . The borough was abolished in 1974, 106 years after its incorporation in 1868, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972 whereby control was ceded to Kirklees Metropolitan Council and West...
- Coat of arms of LeedsCoat of arms of LeedsThe Coat of arms of Leeds City Council derives its design from the seventeenth century. In 1662 the Borough of Leeds received a new charter which created the office of mayor, and the arms seems to date from about this time as they incorporate part of the arms of the first mayor. These arms were...
- Coat of arms of WakefieldCoat of arms of WakefieldThe Coat of arms of Wakefield City Council was granted in 1990. Between 1974 and 1990, the council did not have arms that represented its governance of the expanded metropolitan district of the City of Wakefield, and used the arms of the County Borough of Wakefield...