English heraldry
Encyclopedia
English heraldry is the form of coats of arms
and other heraldic
bearings and insignia used in England
. It lies within the Gallo-British tradition. Coats of arms in England are regulated and granted to individuals by the College of Arms
. They are subject to a system of cadency
to distinguish between sons of the original holder of the coat of arms. The English heraldic style is exemplified in the arms of British royalty, and is reflected in the arms civic arms of cities and towns, as well as the noble arms of individuals in England. Royal orders in England, such as the Order of the Garter
, also maintain notable heraldic bearings.
and Roman
pottery. Many coats of arms feature charges
related to the bearer's name or profession (e.g. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, pictured at right), a practice known as "canting arms
". Some canting arms make references to foreign languages, particularly French, such as the otter (loutre in French) in the arms of the Luttrel family.
Representations in person of Saints or other figure are very rare, although there are however a few uses, mostly originating from seals
, where there have never been such limitations. Although many places have dropped such iconography, the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone
, London
, includes a rendering of the Virgin Mary, although this is never stated. This is also the case in many other examples, particularly those depicting Christ, to remove religious complications. Unlike in mainland Europe where family crests make a large use of their eponymous Saints, these are few and far between in England.
The lion is the most common charge, particularly in Royal heraldry. Heraldic roses
are also common in English heraldry, as in the War of the Roses where both houses, Lancaster and York, used them, and in the ensuing Tudor dynasty. The heraldic eagle
, while common on the European continent and particularly in Germany
, is relatively rare in English heraldry and, in early English heraldry, was often associated with alliances with German princes.
The coat of arms of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
, pictured at left, uses almost all typical forms of heraldry in England: The first quarter consists of his father-in-law, Richard Beauchamp
, who bore with an escutcheon of De Clare
quartering Despenser
, now shown in Neville's fourth quarter. The second quarter shows the arms of the Montacutes
(Montagu). The third quarter shows the arms of Neville differenced by a label for Lancaster.
The first use of heraldry associated with Britons was in the Bayeux Tapestry
, recounting the events of the Battle of Hastings
in 1066, where both sides used emblems in similar ways.
The first Royal Coat of Arms
was created in 1154 under Henry II, the idea of heraldry becoming popular among the knights on the first
and second crusades
, along with the idea of chivalry. Under Henry III it gained a system of classification and a technical language, confirming its place as a science. However, over the next two centuries the system was abused, leading to the swamping of true coats-of-arms.
For the rest of the medieval period it was popular within the upper classes to have a distinctive family mark for competitions and tournaments, and was popular (although not prevalent) within the lower classes. It found particular use with knights, for practice and in the mêlée
of battle, where heraldry was worn on embroidered fabric covering their armour. Indeed, their houses' signs became known as coats-of-arms in this way. They were also worn on shields, where they were known as shields-of-arms. As well as military uses, the main charge
was used in the seals of households. These were used to prove the authenticity of documents carried by heralds (messengers) and is the basis of the word heraldry in English. One example of this is the seal of John Mundegumri (C.E. 1175), which bears a single fleur-de-lys. It should be pointed out that prior to the 16th century, there was no regulation on the use of arms in England.
called Falkirk Rolls written soon after the Battle of Falkirk
in 1298. It includes the whole range of recognised heraldic colours (including furs) and designs. This clearly demonstrates that English heraldry was fully developed at this time, and although the language is not quite identical, much of the terminology is the same as is still used. It is an occasional roll of arms, meaning it charted the heraldry visible on one occasion. Other rolls of arms covering England include the Caerlaverock Poem (composed 1300 about siege of Caerlaverock
) and Glover's Roll (a mixed and varied collection from around the mid-13th century).
to be Garter King of Arms. No such position had been created in other countries. A succession of different titles was introduced over the next four centuries for principal governor of arms, including King of Arms. Some were members of the College of Arms
, some were not. Other holders of positions included the Falcon King of Arms, a position created under King Edward III
. Other positions were created for important counties, such as the Lancastrian King of Arms, but the balance of power between them and those charged with larger regions remains unclear.
During the Tudor period, grants of arms were made for significant contributions to the country by one of the Herald and Kings of Arms in a standard format, as in the case of Thomas Bertie, granted arms on 10 July 1550. This was given as a passage read out by the herald. Although many are written in English, it is possible they were also read out in Latin.
The introduction in his case read:
This seems to be the standard introduction, each herald using their name and position.
(though not its armorial jurisdiction) was challenged, and an increasing number of 'new men
' simply assumed arms, without any authority. This attitude is evident even in the appointment of the heralds themselves—Sir John Vanbrugh
, a prominent dramatist and architect who knew nothing of heraldry, was appointed to the office of Clarenceux King of Arms
, the second-highest office in the College of Arms. No new grants were made between November 1704 and June 1707.
The situation slowly improved throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, with the number of new grants per year slowly rising—14 in 1747, 40 in 1784 and 82 in 1884. These numbers reflect an increasing geographical spread in grantees, due to a general increase of interest in heraldry. This was caused by a number of factors, including the creation of the Order of the Bath
in 1725, and grants of arms to its members, augmentations for honour granted to successful military commanders in the Peninsular
and Napoleonic wars, and the rise in popularity of name and arms clauses. The medieval period, and with it heraldry, also became popular as a result of the Romantic movement and Gothic revival.
Heraldry in England is heavily regulated by the College of Arms
, who issue the arms. A person can be issued the arms themselves, but the College fields many requests from people attempting to demonstrate descent from an armigerous (arms-bearing) person; a person descended in the male line (or through heraldic heiresses) from such an ancestor may be reissued that ancestor's arms (with differencing marks if necessary to distinguish from senior-line cousins). To that end, the college is involved in genealogy
and the many pedigree
s (family trees) in their records, although not open to the public, have official status. Anyone may register a pedigree with the college, where they are carefully internally audit
ed and require official proofs before being altered.
Applications are open to anyone with a 'reputable status' (normally including a university degree, but officially down to the discretion of the College).
The College of Arms was incorporated in 1484 by King Richard III, and is a corporate body consisting of the professional heralds who are delegated heraldic authority by the British monarch. Based in London, the College is one of the few remaining government heraldic authorities in Europe. Its legal basis relies on the Law of Arms
, which makes the right to grant arms exclusively to due authority, which has, since the late medieval period, been the Monarch or State, who gives the College of Arms this right and duty. Much of it is under the personal responsibility of the Monarch and not government, although the College has always been self-funded and independent.
According to one source, the number of grants of arms in each half-century was roughly as follows:
Although the accuracy of the figures is in doubt, the general trend is likely to be correct. It is clear that heraldry saw a resurgence in England in the early 19th century.
It should be mentioned, however, that since 1797, no case of free assumption of arms has ever been successfully prosecuted in England. Its Court of Chivalry, the court of enforcement of such cases, has fallen into unimportance.
†also known as an octofoil
Daughters have no special brisures, and customarily bear their father's arms on a lozenge while they are unmarried. While she is married, a woman may marshal (combine) her father's arms with her husband's on a single shield, normally by impalement, but upon becoming a widow, she returns to bearing her father's arms upon a lozenge, though now impaled with her late husband's arms. Her husband's arms are borne on the dexter side and her father's arms on the sinister side.
of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II
. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion. Variants of the Royal Arms are used by other members of the Royal Family
; and by the British Government in connection with the administration and government of the country. In Scotland
, the Queen has a separate version of the Royal Arms, a variant of which is used by the Scotland Office
.
The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three lions passant guardant of England
; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure fleury-counter-fleury of Scotland
; and in the third, a harp
for Ireland
.
The crest
is a lion statant guardant wearing the imperial crown
, itself standing upon another representation of that crown.
The dexter supporter
is a likewise crowned lion
, symbolizing England
; the sinister, a unicorn
, symbolising Scotland
. According to legend, a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast; therefore the heraldic unicorn is chained, as were both supporting unicorns in the Royal coat of arms of Scotland
.
The coat features both the motto
of English monarchs, Dieu et mon droit
(God and my right), and the motto of the Order of the Garter
, Honi soit qui mal y pense
(Shamed be he who thinks ill of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield.
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HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip was granted arms of his own in 1947, because men are not entitled to bear the arms of their wives. His arms are quarterly Denmark
, Greece
, and Mountbatten
, representing his ancestry, and Edinburgh, representing his dukedom
.
HRH The Duchess of Cambridge
The arms of the Duke of Cambridge impaled with those of her father, Mr. Michael Middleton.
Almost every town council, city council and major educational establishment has an official armorial bearing (coat of arms), although the use of such arms varies wildly, due to the governance of the institution, and who uses the arms, particularly concerning unitary authorities
. The College of Arms
grants arms only to people or corporate bodies, and so coats of arms are attributed to Borough, District or Town councils, rather than to a place or its populace. Motto
s are common but not universal.
Arms of such councils may feature the historical ecclesiastical arms of a local church, cathedral
or diocese
, such as the arms of Watford Borough Council
which feature the arms of the Diocese of St. Albans. Similarly they can also feature the arms of a local patron Saint, as in the arms of St. Edmundsbury Borough Council
which features the coat of arms of Saint Edmund
. Another example is the use of the rose, the symbol of the Virgin Mary. Others are derived from the arms of an associated influential family or local organisation, or their creation is granted as an honour to an influential person.
In local government, however, there has been a move away from traditional heraldic style designs to clean, streamlined ones, as in the case of London
. Whether this is a good or bad thing is a matter of debate.
Often use is restricted to certain events and institutions within the town or city, its use superseded by the logo of the local borough council
or Arms Length Management Organisation
. Current uses of historical coats of arms normally include use in town halls and on litter bins and benches (where corporate-style council logos are deemed inappropriate).
continues to grant new arms to schools, colleges and universities each year. The arms of educational establishments often represent the aims of the institution and history of the establishment, town or major alumni.
For instance the Letters Patent
granting Arms
to the University of Plymouth
were presented by Eric Dancer
, CBE
, JP, Lord Lieutenant
of Devon
, in a ceremony at the University on 27 November 2008, in the presence of Henry Paston-Bedingfeld
, York Herald
of the College of Arms
, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Plymouth, Judge William Taylor, the Recorder of Plymouth, and Baroness Wilcox
. The books represent the University's focus on learning and scholarship. The scattering of small stars represents navigation
, which has played a key role in the history of the city and the university. The scallop shells in gold represent pilgrimage
, a sign of the importance of the departure of the Pilgrim Fathers from the Barbican aboard the Mayflower
in 1620. A Pelican and a Golden Hind
support the shield and reflect both the original and later, better known, name of Sir Francis Drake's ship. The crest contains the Latin motto Indagate Fingite Invenite ('Explore Dream Discover'), a quote from Mark Twain
, reflecting the university's ambitions for its students and Plymouth's history of great seafarers.
In the arms of Cranfield University
(prepared by Sir Colin Cole
, the sometime Garter Principal King of Arms
), the "bars wavy" in the chief of the shield are intended in combination with the cranes
to allude to the name Cranfield. The three-branched torch
in the base refers to learning and knowledge in the sciences of engineering, technology and management. In the crest, the astral crown alludes to the College of Aeronautics
and also commemorates the contribution of its founding Chancellor, Lord Kings Norton, to the development of aeronautical research. The keys signify the gaining of knowledge by study and instruction. The owl
, with its wings expanded, may also be taken to represent knowledge in the widest sense. In the badge, which repeats the keys, the crown rayonny refers both to the royal charter
under which Cranfield came into being and, by the finials composed of the rays of the sun, to energy and its application through engineering and technological skills to industry, commerce and public life. The chain which surrounds the badge shows the links between the various disciplines to be studied at the University and in itself also refers to engineering where it plays so many parts.
Members of the Order of the Garter
may encircle their arms with the Garter and, if they wish, with a depiction of the collar as well. However, the Garter is normally used alone, and the more elaborate version is seldom seen. Stranger Knights and Ladies do not embellish the arms they use in their countries with English decorations.
Knights and Ladies Companion are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters
, a privilege granted to few other private individuals. While some families claim supporters by ancient use, and others have been granted them as a special reward, only peers, Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter, Knights and Ladies of the Thistle, and certain other knights and ladies are automatically entitled to them.
On January 5, 1420, William Bruges was appointed by King Henry V
to be Garter King of Arms. Since the creation of the position, it has been changed into the position Garter Principal King of Arms
, but the duties remain the same. Ex officio, it also makes the position's holder head of the College of Arms, and subsequently is usually appointed from among the other officers of arms
at the College. The Garter Principal is also the principal adviser to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom
(particularly England
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
) with respect to ceremonial and heraldry.
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
and other heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
bearings and insignia used in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It lies within the Gallo-British tradition. Coats of arms in England are regulated and granted to individuals by the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. They are subject to a system of cadency
Cadency
In heraldry, cadency is any systematic way of distinguishing similar coats of arms belonging to members of the same family. Cadency is necessary in heraldic systems in which a given design may be owned by only one person at once...
to distinguish between sons of the original holder of the coat of arms. The English heraldic style is exemplified in the arms of British royalty, and is reflected in the arms civic arms of cities and towns, as well as the noble arms of individuals in England. Royal orders in England, such as the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, also maintain notable heraldic bearings.
Characteristics
Like many countries' heraldry, there is a classical influence within English heraldry, such as designs originally on GreekAncient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
and Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
pottery. Many coats of arms feature charges
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
related to the bearer's name or profession (e.g. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, pictured at right), a practice known as "canting arms
Canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name in a visual pun or rebus. The term cant came into the English language from Anglo-Norman cant, meaning song or singing, from Latin cantāre, and English cognates include canticle, chant, accent, incantation and recant.Canting arms –...
". Some canting arms make references to foreign languages, particularly French, such as the otter (loutre in French) in the arms of the Luttrel family.
Representations in person of Saints or other figure are very rare, although there are however a few uses, mostly originating from seals
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
, where there have never been such limitations. Although many places have dropped such iconography, the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone
Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone
The Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone was a Metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. It was based directly on the previously existing civil parish of St Marylebone, which was incorporated into the Metropolitan Board of Works area in 1855, retaining a parish vestry, and...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, includes a rendering of the Virgin Mary, although this is never stated. This is also the case in many other examples, particularly those depicting Christ, to remove religious complications. Unlike in mainland Europe where family crests make a large use of their eponymous Saints, these are few and far between in England.
Rose (heraldry)
The rose is a common device in heraldry. It is often used both as a charge on a coat of arms and by itself as a heraldic badge. The heraldic rose has a stylized form consisting of five symmetrical lobes, five barbs, and a circular seed. The rose is one of the most common plant symbols in...
are also common in English heraldry, as in the War of the Roses where both houses, Lancaster and York, used them, and in the ensuing Tudor dynasty. The heraldic eagle
Eagle (heraldry)
The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Parts of the eagle's body such as its head, wings or leg are also used as a charge or crest....
, while common on the European continent and particularly in Germany
German heraldry
German heraldry refers to the cultural tradition and style of heraldic achievements in modern and historic Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, including national and civic arms, noble and burgher arms, ecclesiastical heraldry, heraldic displays and heraldic descriptions...
, is relatively rare in English heraldry and, in early English heraldry, was often associated with alliances with German princes.
The coat of arms of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...
, pictured at left, uses almost all typical forms of heraldry in England: The first quarter consists of his father-in-law, Richard Beauchamp
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, Count of Aumale, KG was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.-Early Life:...
, who bore with an escutcheon of De Clare
De Clare
The de Clare family of Norman lords were associated with the Welsh Marches, Suffolk, Surrey, Kent and Ireland. They were descended from Richard fitz Gilbert, who accompanied William the Conqueror into England during the Norman conquest of England.-Origins:The Clare family descends from Gilbert...
quartering Despenser
Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick
Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick was the posthumous daughter and eventually the sole heiress of Thomas le Despenser and his wife, Constance of York...
, now shown in Neville's fourth quarter. The second quarter shows the arms of the Montacutes
Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury
Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, 6th and 3rd Baron Montacute, 5th Baron Monthermer, and Count of Perche, KG was an English nobleman...
(Montagu). The third quarter shows the arms of Neville differenced by a label for Lancaster.
History
Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth—not an actual tapestry—nearly long, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings...
, recounting the events of the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
in 1066, where both sides used emblems in similar ways.
The first Royal Coat of Arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
was created in 1154 under Henry II, the idea of heraldry becoming popular among the knights on the first
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
and second crusades
Second Crusade
The Second Crusade was the second major crusade launched from Europe. The Second Crusade was started in response to the fall of the County of Edessa the previous year to the forces of Zengi. The county had been founded during the First Crusade by Baldwin of Boulogne in 1098...
, along with the idea of chivalry. Under Henry III it gained a system of classification and a technical language, confirming its place as a science. However, over the next two centuries the system was abused, leading to the swamping of true coats-of-arms.
For the rest of the medieval period it was popular within the upper classes to have a distinctive family mark for competitions and tournaments, and was popular (although not prevalent) within the lower classes. It found particular use with knights, for practice and in the mêlée
Mêlée
Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....
of battle, where heraldry was worn on embroidered fabric covering their armour. Indeed, their houses' signs became known as coats-of-arms in this way. They were also worn on shields, where they were known as shields-of-arms. As well as military uses, the main charge
Charge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
was used in the seals of households. These were used to prove the authenticity of documents carried by heralds (messengers) and is the basis of the word heraldry in English. One example of this is the seal of John Mundegumri (C.E. 1175), which bears a single fleur-de-lys. It should be pointed out that prior to the 16th century, there was no regulation on the use of arms in England.
Rolls of Arms
One of the first contemporary records of medieval heraldry is a roll of armsRoll of arms
A roll of arms is a collection of coats of arms, usually consisting of rows of painted pictures of shields, each shield accompanied by the name of the person bearing the arms...
called Falkirk Rolls written soon after the Battle of Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1298)
The Battle of Falkirk, which took place on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence...
in 1298. It includes the whole range of recognised heraldic colours (including furs) and designs. This clearly demonstrates that English heraldry was fully developed at this time, and although the language is not quite identical, much of the terminology is the same as is still used. It is an occasional roll of arms, meaning it charted the heraldry visible on one occasion. Other rolls of arms covering England include the Caerlaverock Poem (composed 1300 about siege of Caerlaverock
Caerlaverock
Caerlaverock is an area to the south of Dumfries and to the west of Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.Caerlaverock NNR is a National Nature Reserve in the care of Scottish Natural Heritage....
) and Glover's Roll (a mixed and varied collection from around the mid-13th century).
Court of the Earl Marshal
The position of herald in England was well defined, and so on January 5, 1420, William Bruges was appointed by King Henry VHenry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
to be Garter King of Arms. No such position had been created in other countries. A succession of different titles was introduced over the next four centuries for principal governor of arms, including King of Arms. Some were members of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, some were not. Other holders of positions included the Falcon King of Arms, a position created under King Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. Other positions were created for important counties, such as the Lancastrian King of Arms, but the balance of power between them and those charged with larger regions remains unclear.
During the Tudor period, grants of arms were made for significant contributions to the country by one of the Herald and Kings of Arms in a standard format, as in the case of Thomas Bertie, granted arms on 10 July 1550. This was given as a passage read out by the herald. Although many are written in English, it is possible they were also read out in Latin.
The introduction in his case read:
This seems to be the standard introduction, each herald using their name and position.
Nadir of English Heraldry
The early 18th century is often considered the nadir of English heraldry. The heraldic establishment was not held in high regard by the public; the authority of the Court of ChivalryCourt of Chivalry
Her Majesty's High Court of Chivalry of England and Wales is a civil court in England. It has had jurisdiction in cases of the misuse of heraldic arms since the fourteenth century....
(though not its armorial jurisdiction) was challenged, and an increasing number of 'new men
New men
New men is a term used by some historians when referring to middle class professionals who held important positions in government in Britain during the House of Lancaster, House of York and Tudor periods ....
' simply assumed arms, without any authority. This attitude is evident even in the appointment of the heralds themselves—Sir John Vanbrugh
John Vanbrugh
Sir John Vanbrugh – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse and The Provoked Wife , which have become enduring stage favourites...
, a prominent dramatist and architect who knew nothing of heraldry, was appointed to the office of Clarenceux King of Arms
Clarenceux King of Arms
Clarenceux King of Arms is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of England south of the River Trent. The office almost certainly existed in 1420, and there is a fair degree of...
, the second-highest office in the College of Arms. No new grants were made between November 1704 and June 1707.
The situation slowly improved throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, with the number of new grants per year slowly rising—14 in 1747, 40 in 1784 and 82 in 1884. These numbers reflect an increasing geographical spread in grantees, due to a general increase of interest in heraldry. This was caused by a number of factors, including the creation of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1725, and grants of arms to its members, augmentations for honour granted to successful military commanders in the Peninsular
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
and Napoleonic wars, and the rise in popularity of name and arms clauses. The medieval period, and with it heraldry, also became popular as a result of the Romantic movement and Gothic revival.
12th century
- King Henry IHenry I of EnglandHenry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
presents Count Geoffrey of Anjou with arms in 1127 - the earliest recorded royal bestowal of arms in the kingdom. - King Richard I 'the Lionheart' introduces royal arms, depicting three lions, in 1198 - they remain the arms of England to this day.
13th century
- Early examples of arms in Wales: Prince David ap Llewellyn 1246 and John ap John of Grosmont in 1249.
- An early example of a tradesman bearing arms: painter Walter le Vyelur in 1256.
- The earliest reference to a Norroy King of Arms c1276.
- The earliest known diocesan arms: the See of Ely, in the 1290s.
14th century
- The earliest reference to a Clarenceux King of ArmsClarenceux King of ArmsClarenceux King of Arms is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of England south of the River Trent. The office almost certainly existed in 1420, and there is a fair degree of...
, in 1334. - After claiming the French throne in 1340, King Edward III quarters the French and English royal arms - the French arms remain part of the English arms for 460 years.
- From 1340, the customary method of differencing the royal arms is a label (plain for the prince of Wales, bearing charges for other royals).
- The Court of ChivalryCourt of ChivalryHer Majesty's High Court of Chivalry of England and Wales is a civil court in England. It has had jurisdiction in cases of the misuse of heraldic arms since the fourteenth century....
hears its first heraldry case in 1345. - LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
assumes civic arms c1380. - The famous case of Scrope v Grosvenor in the Court of Chivalry 1385-90.
- Johannes de Bado Aureo publishes Tractatus de Armis in the 1390s.
15th century
- By 1410, "a non-armigerous gentlemen is a rarity needing explanation."
- An early example of bishops impaling their personal arms with those of their sees: Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1411.
- King Henry V establishes the office of Garter King of Arms in 1415, and makes him senior to the other kings of arms - William BrugesWilliam BrugesWilliam Bruges was an English officer of arms. He is best remembered as the first person appointed to the post of Garter King of Arms, which is currently the highest heraldic office in England.-Origins:...
is the first Garter 1415-50. - Henry V temporarily prohibits the bearing of self-assumed arms during his campaign in France in 1418 - for some reason, this was later interpreted as a ban on self-assumed arms throughout England.
- The three kings of arms are authorised to grant coats of arms - but self-assumption remains the norm.
- By 1423, St Bartholomew's HospitalSt Bartholomew's HospitalSt Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
in London has assumed arms - probably the oldest example of medical heraldry in the kingdom. - Garter Bruges grants arms to the Worshipful Company of DrapersWorshipful Company of DrapersThe Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London; it has the formal name of The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London but is more usually known...
in 1439 - the earliest known grant by a king of arms. - King Henry VI grants arms to King's CollegeKing's College, CambridgeKing's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
(Cambridge) in 1441 and Eton CollegeEton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
in 1449 - the earliest examples of academic heraldry in England. - King Richard III organises the royal kings of arms, heralds, and pursuivants into a College of ArmsCollege of ArmsThe College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, under authority of the Earl MarshalEarl MarshalEarl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
, in 1484. - King Henry VII revokes the College of Arms' charter in 1485.
- Garter John Wrythe introduces a system of distinguishing younger sons by adding marks of cadency to their paternal arms c1500.
16th century
- In Wales, the bards attribute arms wholesale to the ancestors of the tribes - these are then "inherited" by their descendants.
- King Henry VIII introduces heraldic visitations 1530, to record arms in use and prohibit any that are usurped or are borne by men of inferior social status.
- GloucesterGloucesterGloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
obtains a grant of arms in 1538 - the first civic arms to be granted in England. - Queen Mary I of EnglandMary I of EnglandMary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
reincorporates the College of Arms with a new charter in 1555. - The College of Arms rules in 1561 that heraldic heiresses may not transmit their fathers' crests to their descendants.
- Gerard Leigh publishes The Accedence of Armory in 1562.
- The University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
is granted arms 1573, while the University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and its colleges' arms are recorded in the 1574 visitation.
17th century
- King James VI of Scotland inherits the English throne in 1603 - the English and Scottish royal arms are combined, and a quartering depicting a harp is devised for Ireland.
- John Guillim publishes A Display of Heraldry in 1610.
- In 1646, during its civil war again King Charles I, Parliament closes the Court of Chivalry and appoints its own kings of arms in place of those who have remained loyal to the king.
- While England is a republic ('Commonwealth') 1649-60, the royal arms are replaced by new state arms.
- When the monarchy is restored in 1660, King Charles II nullifies grants made by the Commonwealth heralds.
- The Court of ChivalryCourt of ChivalryHer Majesty's High Court of Chivalry of England and Wales is a civil court in England. It has had jurisdiction in cases of the misuse of heraldic arms since the fourteenth century....
reopens in 1667. - Garter Sir William DugdaleWilliam DugdaleSir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
states that assumed arms that have been used in a family for around 80 years are allowed to be borne by prescription. - Charles II makes the office of Earl Marshal hereditary to the Dukes of Norfolk in 1672.
- The College of Arms opens a register of arms 1673.
- From 1673, the kings of arms require the Earl Marshal's authority for each grant of arms.
- The last round of visitations is held 1681-87 - the system lapses after the 'Glorious Revolution' 1688-89.
18th century
- Garter Henry St George begins to undermine the principle of bearing self-assumed arms by prescription by refusing to confirm them without formally granting them.
- England and Scotland unite to form the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 - they retain their separate heraldry laws and authorities.
- The Court of Chivalry ceases to function in 1737.
- From 1741, gentlemen have to be "eminent" to be eligible for grants of arms.
- Joseph Edmondson publishes A Complete Body of Heraldry in 1780.
- Annual licensing of coats of arms is introduced in 1798 to raise money for the war with France - it is discontinued after the war.
19th century
- Great Britain and Ireland amalgamate to form the United Kingdom in 1801, but the English, Scottish and Irish heraldry authorities remain separate - the royal arms are altered to reflect the union, and the French arms are dropped.
- From 1806, an officer of the College of Arms is Inspector of Regimental Colours, to oversee British army heraldry.
- The College of Arms confirms in 1815 that only peers and knights of the Garter and the Bath are entitled to supporters to their arms.
- Annual licensing of coats of arms (whether they are officially recognised or not) is reintroduced in 1823 - it lasts until 1944.
- Publications include Bernard Burke's The General Armory in 1842, James Fairbairn's A Book of Crests in 1859, and Charles Boutell's The Manual of Heraldry in 1863.
- West Sussex County Council obtains a grant of arms in 1889 - the first to a county council.
- Publications include Charles Elvin's A Dictionary of Heraldry in 1889, James Parker's A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry in 1892, and Arthur Fox-Davies' The Book of Public Arms in 1894 and Armorial Families in 1895.
- Mr Lloyd of Stockton registers personal arms containing 323 quarterings, in 1894.
20th century
- Publications include Joseph Foster's Some Feudal Coats of Arms in 1902, and Arthur Fox-Davies' A Complete Guide to Heraldry in 1909.
- The Earl Marshal authorises the granting of badges to armigers of all ranks in 1906.
- The Royal Navy introduces a standard system of ships' badges in 1919. HMS WarwickHMS Warwick (D25)HMS Warwick was a Admiralty 'W' class destroyer built in 1917.She saw service in both the First and Second World Wars, before being torpedoed and sunk in January 1944.-Construction:...
is the first to bear an official badge. - The Royal Air Force College CranwellRoyal Air Force College CranwellThe Royal Air Force College is the Royal Air Force training and education academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to be commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with...
obtains a grant of arms in 1924, the first to the RAF. - Bocking is the first parish council to obtain a grant of arms, 1927.
- A standard pattern for Royal Air Force unit badges is introduced in 1935.
- Anthony WagnerAnthony WagnerSir Anthony Richard Wagner, KCB, KCVO, FSA was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He served as Garter Principal King of Arms before retiring to the post of Clarenceux King of Arms...
(Portcullis PursuivantPortcullis PursuivantPortcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The office is named after the Portcullis chained Or badge of the Beauforts, which was a favourite device of King Henry VII. King Henry's mother was Lady Margaret Beaufort. The office was...
) publishes Historic Heraldry of Britain in 1939 and Heraldry In England in 1946. - King George VI transfers the office of Ulster King of Arms to the College of Arms and combines it with the office of Norroy in 1943, with jurisdiction limited to Northern Ireland.
- The Society of Heraldic Antiquaries (later the Heraldry Society) is established in 1947. It launches a journal, The Coat of Arms, in 1950.
- The College of Arms introduces a mark of difference for the arms of divorced women in 1950.
- The first grants of arms to Northern Ireland: Londonderry and Tyrone in 1951.
- The Court of ChivalryCourt of ChivalryHer Majesty's High Court of Chivalry of England and Wales is a civil court in England. It has had jurisdiction in cases of the misuse of heraldic arms since the fourteenth century....
is reactivated in 1954 for a test case between the Manchester city councilManchester City CouncilManchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
and a local theatre. - In 1960, the Earl Marshal authorises the kings of arms to devise arms, on request, for towns in the United States of America, subject to approval by the relevant state governors. This is extended to other corporate bodies in the USA in 1962.
- The Earl Marshal authorises ecclesiastical hats for the arms of Roman Catholic clergy in 1967, and for Anglican clergy in 1976.
- Publications include Geoffrey Briggs' Civic & Corporate Heraldry in 1971, John Brooke-LittleJohn Brooke-LittleJohn Philip Rudolph Dominic Derek Aloysius Mary Brooke-Little, CVO, KStJ, FSA, FSG, FHS, FHG , FRHSC , FHSNZ, KM, GCGCO was an influential and popular British writer on heraldic subjects and a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London...
(Richmond Herald)'s An Heraldic Alphabet in 1973, Thomas WoodcockThomas Woodcock (officer of arms)Thomas Woodcock, CVO, DL, FSA is Garter Principal King of Arms.Woodcock was educated at Eton College. He went up to University College, Durham, where he obtained a BA degree, and subsequently to Darwin College, Cambridge, where he received his LLB degree. Woodcock was called to the Bar at the...
(Somerset HeraldSomerset HeraldSomerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. In the year 1448 Somerset Herald is known to have served the Duke of Somerset, but by the time of the coronation of King Henry VII in 1485 his successor appears to have been raised to the rank of a royal...
) and John Robinson (Fitzalan Pursuivant)'s The Oxford Guide to Heraldry in 1988, and Peter Gwynn-JonesPeter Gwynn-JonesSir Peter Llewellyn Gwynn-Jones, KCVO was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was Garter Principal King of Arms, the senior English officer of arms, from 1995 to 2010.-Life and career:...
(York HeraldYork HeraldYork Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms. The first York Herald is believed to have been an officer to Edmund of Langley, Duke of York around the year 1385, but the first completely reliable reference to such a herald is in February of 1484, when John Water...
) and Henry Paston-BedingfeldHenry Paston-BedingfeldSir Henry Edgar Paston-Bedingfeld, 10th Baronet is an Officer-at-Arms of the College of Arms in London, EC4.He currently serves as Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, the junior of the two provincial Kings-at-Arms, to which office he was appointed 20 September 2010...
(Rouge Croix PursuivantRouge Croix PursuivantRouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms. The office is named after St George's Cross which has been a symbol of England since the time of the Crusades...
)'s Heraldry in 1993. - The College of Arms revises the rules for women's arms in 1995 and 1997. Inter alia, married women may now bear their arms on shields, with a mark of difference.
Regulation
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, who issue the arms. A person can be issued the arms themselves, but the College fields many requests from people attempting to demonstrate descent from an armigerous (arms-bearing) person; a person descended in the male line (or through heraldic heiresses) from such an ancestor may be reissued that ancestor's arms (with differencing marks if necessary to distinguish from senior-line cousins). To that end, the college is involved in genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
and the many pedigree
Pedigree chart
A pedigree chart is a diagram that shows the occurrence and appearance or phenotypes of a particular gene or organism and its ancestors from one generation to the next, most commonly humans, show dogs, and race horses....
s (family trees) in their records, although not open to the public, have official status. Anyone may register a pedigree with the college, where they are carefully internally audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
ed and require official proofs before being altered.
Applications are open to anyone with a 'reputable status' (normally including a university degree, but officially down to the discretion of the College).
The College of Arms was incorporated in 1484 by King Richard III, and is a corporate body consisting of the professional heralds who are delegated heraldic authority by the British monarch. Based in London, the College is one of the few remaining government heraldic authorities in Europe. Its legal basis relies on the Law of Arms
Law of Arms
The law of heraldic arms governs the "bearing of arms", that is, the possession, use or display of arms, also called coats of arms, coat armour or armorial bearings. Although it is believed that the original function of coats of arms was to enable knights to identify each other on the battlefield,...
, which makes the right to grant arms exclusively to due authority, which has, since the late medieval period, been the Monarch or State, who gives the College of Arms this right and duty. Much of it is under the personal responsibility of the Monarch and not government, although the College has always been self-funded and independent.
According to one source, the number of grants of arms in each half-century was roughly as follows:
| 1550–1600 | 1600–1650 | 1650–1700 | 1700–1750 | 1750–1800 | 1800–1850 | 1850–1900 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2600 | 1580 | 780 | 560 | 1600 | 4600 | 3800 |
Although the accuracy of the figures is in doubt, the general trend is likely to be correct. It is clear that heraldry saw a resurgence in England in the early 19th century.
It should be mentioned, however, that since 1797, no case of free assumption of arms has ever been successfully prosecuted in England. Its Court of Chivalry, the court of enforcement of such cases, has fallen into unimportance.
Cadency
The English system of cadency involves the addition of a brisure, or mark of difference to the coat of arms, to identify the bearer's rank in the order of inheritance from the bearer of the original coat. Although there is some debate over how strictly the system should be followed, the accepted system is shown below:| First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh | Eighth | Ninth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Son |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Label (heraldry) In heraldry, a label is a charge resembling the strap crossing the horse’s chest from which pendants are hung. It is usually a mark of difference, but has sometimes been borne simply as a charge in its own right.... of three points |
Crescent In art and symbolism, a crescent is generally the shape produced when a circular disk has a segment of another circle removed from its edge, so that what remains is a shape enclosed by two circular arcs of different diameters which intersect at two points .In astronomy, a crescent... |
Mullet (heraldry) In heraldry, the term star may refer to any star-shaped charge with any number of rays, which may appear straight or wavy, and may or may not be pierced... |
Martlet A martlet is a heraldic charge depicting a stylized bird with short tufts of feathers in the place of legs... |
Annulet (ring) In heraldry, an annulet is a common charge.It may allude to the custom of prelates to receive their investiture per baculum et annulum .In English heraldry it is also used as the difference mark of a fifth son.... |
|
Rose (heraldry) The rose is a common device in heraldry. It is often used both as a charge on a coat of arms and by itself as a heraldic badge. The heraldic rose has a stylized form consisting of five symmetrical lobes, five barbs, and a circular seed. The rose is one of the most common plant symbols in... |
Cross moline The cross moline is a heraldic charge. It is so called because its shape resembles a millrind, moline being the Old French for a mill, the iron clamp of the upper millstone. It is very similar to one of the varieties of the "fer de moline" heraldic charge , the forked tips of which however... |
Quatrefoil The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an... † |
†also known as an octofoil
Daughters have no special brisures, and customarily bear their father's arms on a lozenge while they are unmarried. While she is married, a woman may marshal (combine) her father's arms with her husband's on a single shield, normally by impalement, but upon becoming a widow, she returns to bearing her father's arms upon a lozenge, though now impaled with her late husband's arms. Her husband's arms are borne on the dexter side and her father's arms on the sinister side.
Royal coat of arms
The Royal coat of arms is the official coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion. Variants of the Royal Arms are used by other members of the Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
; and by the British Government in connection with the administration and government of the country. In Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the Queen has a separate version of the Royal Arms, a variant of which is used by the Scotland Office
Scotland Office
The Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
.
The shield is quartered, depicting in the first and fourth quarters the three lions passant guardant of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; in the second, the rampant lion and double tressure fleury-counter-fleury of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
; and in the third, a harp
Clàrsach
Clàrsach or Cláirseach , is the generic Gaelic word for 'a harp', as derived from Middle Irish...
for Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
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....
is a lion statant guardant wearing the imperial crown
Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.- Design :The Crown is of a design similar to St Edward's Crown: it includes a base of four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, above which are four half-arches surmounted by a cross. Inside is a velvet cap...
, itself standing upon another representation of that crown.
The dexter supporter
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...
is a likewise crowned 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...
, symbolizing England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; the sinister, a unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
, symbolising Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. According to legend, a free unicorn was considered a very dangerous beast; therefore the heraldic unicorn is chained, as were both supporting unicorns in the Royal coat of arms of Scotland
Royal coat of arms of Scotland
The royal coat of arms of Scotland was the official coat of arms of the monarchs of Scotland, and was used as the official coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland until the Acts of Union of 1707...
.
The coat features both the motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
of English monarchs, Dieu et mon droit
Dieu et mon droit
Dieu et mon droit is the motto of the British Monarch in England. It appears on a scroll beneath the shield of the coat of arms of the United Kingdom...
(God and my right), and the motto of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, Honi soit qui mal y pense
Honi soit qui mal y pense
"Honi soit qui mal y pense" is a French phrase meaning: "Shamed be he who thinks evil of it". The phrase is sometimes rendered as "Honi soit quy mal y pense", "Hony soyt qe mal y pense", "Hony soyt ke mal y pense", "Hony soyt qui mal pence" and various other phoneticizations. It is the motto of...
(Shamed be he who thinks ill of it) on a representation of the Garter behind the shield.
Coat of arms of the British Royal Family
Direct descendants of the monarch have royal coats of arms. Although many are given peerage titles named for places in Wales or Scotland, the Royal Family follows an English heraldic tradition; indeed, most coats of arms of the royal family are based on the Royal Coat of Arms, as above.EWLINE
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| Arms/Standard | Bearer | Main feature | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HRH The Princess Royal Anne, Princess Royal Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh... |
Three-point label, the points bearing a red cross, a red heart and a red cross. | |||||||||||||||
| HRH The Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession... |
Five-point label, the first, third and fifth points bearing a red cross, the second and fourth points bearing a red lion. | |||||||||||||||
| HRH The Duke of Kent Prince Edward, Duke of Kent The Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961. The Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63... |
Five-point label, the first, third and fifth points bearing a blue anchor, the second and fourth points bearing a red cross. |
| Consorts | ||
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| HRH The Countess of Wessex | The arms of the Earl of Wessex impaled with those of her father, Christopher Bournes Rhys-Jones. | |
| HRH The Duchess of Cornwall | The arms of the Prince of Wales impaled with those of her father, Major Bruce Shand Bruce Shand Major Bruce Middleton Hope Shand, MC and bar, DL, was an officer in the British Army. He is best known as the father of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, the second wife of Charles, Prince of Wales.-Early life:... , crowned by the single-arched Half-arch (crown) A half-arch is the piece of gold, silver or platinum, usually decorated with jewels, that links the circlet of a hoop crown to the globe at the top of the crown.-British tradition of 4 half-arches:... Crown of Prince of Wales Crown of Charles, Prince of Wales The Coronet of Charles, Prince of Wales is a coronet and part of the Honours of Wales and Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. It was made for and first used by Prince Charles at his investiture as Prince of Wales in 1969.-Background:... . |
|
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
Coat of arms of Denmark
The royal coat of arms is more complex. The shield is quartered by a silver cross fimbriated in red, derived from the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. The first and fourth quarters represent Denmark by three crowned lions passant accompanied by nine hearts; the second quarter contains two lions passant...
, Greece
National emblem of Greece
The national emblem of Greece , also known as the coat of arms of Greece, consists of a blue escutcheon with a white cross totally surrounded by two laurel branches...
, and Mountbatten
Mountbatten
Mountbatten is the family name originally adopted by a branch of the Battenberg family due to rising anti-German sentiment among the British public during World War I...
, representing his ancestry, and Edinburgh, representing his dukedom
Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh is a British royal title, named after the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been conferred upon members of the British royal family only four times times since its creation in 1726...
.
Civic armory
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
. The College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
grants arms only to people or corporate bodies, and so coats of arms are attributed to Borough, District or Town councils, rather than to a place or its populace. Motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
s are common but not universal.
Arms of such councils may feature the historical ecclesiastical arms of a local church, cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
or diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, such as the arms of Watford Borough Council
Watford Borough Council
Watford Borough Council is the local authority for the Watford non-metropolitan district of England, the United Kingdom. Watford is located in the south-west of Hertfordshire, in the East of England region....
which feature the arms of the Diocese of St. Albans. Similarly they can also feature the arms of a local patron Saint, as in the arms of St. Edmundsbury Borough Council
St Edmundsbury (borough)
St Edmundsbury is a local government district and borough in Suffolk, England. It is named after its main town, Bury St Edmunds. The second town in the district is Haverhill....
which features the coat of arms of Saint Edmund
Edmund the Martyr
St Edmund the Martyr was a king of East Anglia, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom which today includes the English counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.D'Evelyn, Charlotte, and Mill, Anna J., , 1956. Reprinted 1967...
. Another example is the use of the rose, the symbol of the Virgin Mary. Others are derived from the arms of an associated influential family or local organisation, or their creation is granted as an honour to an influential person.
In local government, however, there has been a move away from traditional heraldic style designs to clean, streamlined ones, as in the case of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Whether this is a good or bad thing is a matter of debate.
Often use is restricted to certain events and institutions within the town or city, its use superseded by the logo of the local borough council
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
or Arms Length Management Organisation
Arms Length Management Organisation
Arms Length Management Organisations or arm's length management organisations are UK not-for-profit companies set up by a local authorities primarily to manage and improve all or part of their housing stock. Ownership of the housing stock itself normally stays with the local authority...
. Current uses of historical coats of arms normally include use in town halls and on litter bins and benches (where corporate-style council logos are deemed inappropriate).
Educational Institutions
Many British educational establishments have arms dating back hundreds of years, but the College of ArmsCollege of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
continues to grant new arms to schools, colleges and universities each year. The arms of educational establishments often represent the aims of the institution and history of the establishment, town or major alumni.
For instance the Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
granting Arms
ARMS
Arms or ARMS may refer to:*Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body*"Arms", a song by singer Christina Perri from the album lovestrong.*ARMS , an American indie rock band formed in 2004*Armaments or arms, weapons*Coat of arms...
to the University of Plymouth
University of Plymouth
Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 30,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students . It has almost 3,000 staff...
were presented by Eric Dancer
Eric Dancer
Eric Dancer, CBE, JP was educated in Sheffield at King Edward VII School and Sheffield Polytechnic, where he was awarded a Diploma in Management Studies in 1965.Former managing director of Dartington Crystal, Eric is the current Lord Lieutenant of Devon...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, JP, Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, in a ceremony at the University on 27 November 2008, in the presence of Henry Paston-Bedingfeld
Henry Paston-Bedingfeld
Sir Henry Edgar Paston-Bedingfeld, 10th Baronet is an Officer-at-Arms of the College of Arms in London, EC4.He currently serves as Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, the junior of the two provincial Kings-at-Arms, to which office he was appointed 20 September 2010...
, York Herald
York Herald
York Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms. The first York Herald is believed to have been an officer to Edmund of Langley, Duke of York around the year 1385, but the first completely reliable reference to such a herald is in February of 1484, when John Water...
of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Plymouth, Judge William Taylor, the Recorder of Plymouth, and Baroness Wilcox
Judith Wilcox, Baroness Wilcox
Judith Ann Wilcox, Baroness Wilcox is a Conservative member of the House of Lords. Since May 2010 she has been a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills....
. The books represent the University's focus on learning and scholarship. The scattering of small stars represents navigation
Celestial navigation
Celestial navigation, also known as astronavigation, is a position fixing technique that has evolved over several thousand years to help sailors cross oceans without having to rely on estimated calculations, or dead reckoning, to know their position...
, which has played a key role in the history of the city and the university. The scallop shells in gold represent pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
, a sign of the importance of the departure of the Pilgrim Fathers from the Barbican aboard the Mayflower
Mayflower
The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...
in 1620. A Pelican and a Golden Hind
Golden Hind
The Golden Hind was an English galleon best known for its circumnavigation of the globe between 1577 and 1580, captained by Sir Francis Drake...
support the shield and reflect both the original and later, better known, name of Sir Francis Drake's ship. The crest contains the Latin motto Indagate Fingite Invenite ('Explore Dream Discover'), a quote from Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
, reflecting the university's ambitions for its students and Plymouth's history of great seafarers.
In the arms of Cranfield University
Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a British postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire and the second is the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom based at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The main campus is unique in the United...
(prepared by Sir Colin Cole
Colin Cole (officer of arms)
Sir Alexander Colin Cole, KCB, KCVO was a long serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London...
, the sometime Garter Principal King of Arms
Garter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
), the "bars wavy" in the chief of the shield are intended in combination with the cranes
Crane (bird)
Cranes are a family, Gruidae, of large, long-legged and long-necked birds in the order Gruiformes. There are fifteen species of crane in four genera. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back...
to allude to the name Cranfield. The three-branched torch
Torch
A torch is a fire source, usually a rod-shaped piece of wood with a rag soaked in pitch and/or some other flammable material wrapped around one end. Torches were often supported in sconces by brackets high up on walls, to throw light over corridors in stone structures such as castles or crypts...
in the base refers to learning and knowledge in the sciences of engineering, technology and management. In the crest, the astral crown alludes to the College of Aeronautics
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
and also commemorates the contribution of its founding Chancellor, Lord Kings Norton, to the development of aeronautical research. The keys signify the gaining of knowledge by study and instruction. The owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
, with its wings expanded, may also be taken to represent knowledge in the widest sense. In the badge, which repeats the keys, the crown rayonny refers both to the royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
under which Cranfield came into being and, by the finials composed of the rays of the sun, to energy and its application through engineering and technological skills to industry, commerce and public life. The chain which surrounds the badge shows the links between the various disciplines to be studied at the University and in itself also refers to engineering where it plays so many parts.
Heraldists
English heraldists include:- Arthur Charles Fox-DaviesArthur Charles Fox-DaviesArthur Charles Fox-Davies was a British author on heraldry. By profession, he was a barrister but he also worked as a journalist and novelist.Born in Bristol, he was the second son of T...
, author of The Art of Heraldry,The Complete Guide to Heraldry and the controversial The Right to Bear (published under the pseudonym "X"). - Charles BoutellCharles BoutellThe Rev. Charles Boutell was a Norfolk archaeologist, antiquary and clergyman, publishing books on brasses, arms and armour and heraldry, often illustrated by his own drawings....
, heraldic author and writer about antiques - Constance EganConstance EganConstance Egan was an English author and editor. She was the second wife of Raymond Brooke-Little, an electrical engineer, and mother ofJohn Brooke-Little....
, an English heraldist, as managing editor of the Heraldry Society's journal The Coat of Arms. - John Brooke-LittleJohn Brooke-LittleJohn Philip Rudolph Dominic Derek Aloysius Mary Brooke-Little, CVO, KStJ, FSA, FSG, FHS, FHG , FRHSC , FHSNZ, KM, GCGCO was an influential and popular British writer on heraldic subjects and a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London...
, son of the above and writer. - Leslie PineLeslie PineLeslie Gilbert Pine was a British author, lecturer, and researcher in the areas of genealogy, nobility, history, heraldry and animal welfare. He was born in 1907 in Bristol, Avon County, England and died in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk in 1987...
, an authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, lecturerLecturerLecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
, and researcher in the areas of genealogyGenealogyGenealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
, nobilityNobilityNobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, history, heraldryHeraldryHeraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
and animal welfareAnimal welfareAnimal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
born in BristolBristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Avon CountyAvon (county)Avon was, from 1974 to 1996, a non-metropolitan and ceremonial county in the west of England.The county was named after the River Avon, which runs through the area. It was formed from parts of the historic counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset, together with the City of Bristol...
. - Cecil Humphery-SmithCecil Humphery-SmithCecil Raymond Julian Humphery-Smith, OBE, FSA is a British genealogist and heraldist. He was educated at Hurstpierpoint College...
, OBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FSASociety of Antiquaries of LondonThe Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
, a BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
genealogistGenealogyGenealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
and heraldistHeraldryHeraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
who founded the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical StudiesInstitute of Heraldic and Genealogical StudiesThe United Kingdom's Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies was founded in 1961 by Cecil Humphery-Smith. Its library was created by donations from Humphery-Smith, Aylmer Buesst and others....
in CanterburyCanterburyCanterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
.
Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
may encircle their arms with the Garter and, if they wish, with a depiction of the collar as well. However, the Garter is normally used alone, and the more elaborate version is seldom seen. Stranger Knights and Ladies do not embellish the arms they use in their countries with English decorations.
Knights and Ladies Companion are also entitled to receive heraldic 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...
, a privilege granted to few other private individuals. While some families claim supporters by ancient use, and others have been granted them as a special reward, only peers, Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter, Knights and Ladies of the Thistle, and certain other knights and ladies are automatically entitled to them.
On January 5, 1420, William Bruges was appointed by King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
to be Garter King of Arms. Since the creation of the position, it has been changed into the position Garter Principal King of Arms
Garter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
, but the duties remain the same. Ex officio, it also makes the position's holder head of the College of Arms, and subsequently is usually appointed from among the other officers of arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
at the College. The Garter Principal is also the principal adviser to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(particularly England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
) with respect to ceremonial and heraldry.