Orle (heraldry)
Encyclopedia
In heraldry
, an orle is a subordinary
consisting of a narrow band occupying the inward half of where a bordure
would be, following the exact outline of the shield but within it, showing the field between the outer edge of the orle and the edge of the shield.
An orle can sometimes be confused with an inescutcheon or escutcheon voided (a smaller shield with a shield-shaped hole), or with a patch of the field left over between a bordure and an inescutcheon.
Orles may varied by any of the lines of variation
.
Discrete charges
arranged in the position of an orle are described
as in orle or as "an orle of".
that can be regarded as a diminutive of an orle. John Woodward is of the opinion that a plain tressure is a diminutive of the orle, and is depicted half its thickness. A tressure is normally an ' orle gemel', i.e. an orle divided into two narrow ones set closely together, one inside the other. A. C. Fox-Davies
argues that a tressure is by necessity double, otherwise it would be an orle. However, examples exist of coats of arms with a single tressure, as in the arms of Edward Lawrence.
Plain tressures are rare. It is much more common to see tressures flory-counter-flory, especially in Scottish
heraldry, where many coats of arms derive from the Royal Coat of Arms. As a result the double tressure flory-counter-flory is often referred to as 'the royal tressure'.
When a tressure is impaled
, it is supposed to follow the same rule as the bordure
, and not to be continued on the side of the impalement, but several exceptions may be found.
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"...
, an orle is a subordinary
Ordinary (heraldry)
In heraldry, an ordinary is a simple geometrical figure, bounded by straight lines and running from side to side or top to bottom of the shield. There are also some geometric charges known as subordinaries, which have been given lesser status by some heraldic writers, though most have been in use...
consisting of a narrow band occupying the inward half of where a bordure
Bordure
In heraldry, a bordure is a band of contrasting tincture forming a border around the edge of a shield, traditionally one-sixth as wide as the shield itself...
would be, following the exact outline of the shield but within it, showing the field between the outer edge of the orle and the edge of the shield.
An orle can sometimes be confused with an inescutcheon or escutcheon voided (a smaller shield with a shield-shaped hole), or with a patch of the field left over between a bordure and an inescutcheon.
Orles may varied by any of the lines of variation
Line (heraldry)
The lines of partition used to divide and vary fields and charges in heraldry are by default straight, but may have many different shapes. Care must sometimes be taken to distinguish these types of lines from the extremely unusual and non-traditional use of lines as charges, and to distinguish...
.
Discrete 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...
arranged in the position of an orle are described
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
as in orle or as "an orle of".
Tressure
A Tressure is a subordinaryOrdinary (heraldry)
In heraldry, an ordinary is a simple geometrical figure, bounded by straight lines and running from side to side or top to bottom of the shield. There are also some geometric charges known as subordinaries, which have been given lesser status by some heraldic writers, though most have been in use...
that can be regarded as a diminutive of an orle. John Woodward is of the opinion that a plain tressure is a diminutive of the orle, and is depicted half its thickness. A tressure is normally an ' orle gemel', i.e. an orle divided into two narrow ones set closely together, one inside the other. A. C. Fox-Davies
Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
Arthur 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...
argues that a tressure is by necessity double, otherwise it would be an orle. However, examples exist of coats of arms with a single tressure, as in the arms of Edward Lawrence.
Plain tressures are rare. It is much more common to see tressures flory-counter-flory, especially in 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...
heraldry, where many coats of arms derive from the Royal Coat of Arms. As a result the double tressure flory-counter-flory is often referred to as 'the royal tressure'.
When a tressure is impaled
Impalement (heraldry)
In heraldry, impalement is the combination of two coats of arms side-by-side in one shield or escutcheon to denote union, most often that of a husband and wife, but also for ecclesiastical use...
, it is supposed to follow the same rule as the bordure
Bordure
In heraldry, a bordure is a band of contrasting tincture forming a border around the edge of a shield, traditionally one-sixth as wide as the shield itself...
, and not to be continued on the side of the impalement, but several exceptions may be found.