Islay Herald of Arms Extraordinary is a current Scottish

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...

 herald 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...

 Extraordinary of the Court of the Lord Lyon

Court of the Lord Lyon

The Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing court of law which regulates heraldry in Scotland. Like the College of Arms in England it maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of...

.

The office was first mentioned in 1493. Islay

Islay

-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...

 is an island

Island

An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...

 off the west coast of Scotland and was the headquarters of the Lord of the Isles

Lord of the Isles

The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...

. When the influence of that powerful noble

Nobility

Nobility 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...

 was broken by the King of Scots during the fifteenth century, several names associated with the Lord of the Isles were absorbed and used by the crown.

The badge of office

Heraldic badge

A heraldic badge is an emblem or personal device worn as a badge to indicate allegiance to or the property of an individual or family. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance...

 is Two salmon hauriant embowed Proper encircling a lymphad sails furled oars in action two armed men on deck sinister Sable by a flag Gules ensigned of the Crown of Scotland Proper.

The office is currently held by Alastair Campbell of Airds. He was appointed to this post on the 1 September 2008.

Office bearers

• 1981 - 1986: Don Pottinger
  Don Pottinger
  John Inglis Drever Pottinger was a Scottish officer of arms and heraldic author. He is best remembered for the publication, with Sir Iain Moncreiffe, of Simple Heraldry, Cheerfully Illustrated.-Early life:...
  
  
• 2008 - Present: Alastair Campbell of Airds (Office used in Extraordinary)

See also

• Officer 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...
  
  
• Herald
  Herald
  A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
  
  
• Court of the Lord Lyon
  Court of the Lord Lyon
  The Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing court of law which regulates heraldry in Scotland. Like the College of Arms in England it maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of...
  
  
• Heraldry Society of Scotland
  Heraldry Society of Scotland
  The Heraldry Society of Scotland was founded in 1977 with the objective of promoting the study of heraldry and encouraging its correct use in Scotland and overseas....
  
  

External links

• The Court of the Lord Lyon