The Heraldry Society exists to increase and extend knowledge and interest in heraldry. New members are always welcome at the Society. Join us today! 🇬🇧
Merry Christmas from the Heraldry Society.
From all at the Society, have a wonderful Christmas, and a brilliant New Year. Here are the attributed arms of the Three Wise Kings.
Source: St. Gallen, Stifsbibliothek / Cod. Sang. 1084 - pp. 16
We have been following the debate on Twitter about charging for what looks to us like an armorial badge. Spurred on by that debate we are thinking about petitioning for a new heraldic badge. We quite fancy a tick sinister argent on an octofoil azure. What do our followers think?
Arundel Herald Extraordinary 💥
⚜️ Arundel Herald is Prof. Anne Curry, who was appointed to her office in 2022 and is, proudly, the first woman to be made a herald in England by Letters Patent by Queen Elizabeth II.
⚜️ Arundel Herald is an expert on Henry V and has delivered a
York Herald of Arms in Ordinary
⚜️ Peter O’Donoghue was appointed York Herald in 2012, having previously served as Bluemantle Pursuivant since 2005, and an assistant at the College for a decade before that.
⚜️ His extensive interest in heraldry began with James Bond, having
Patric Dickinson, erstwhile Clarenceux King of Arms who retired in 2021 was promoted from Lieutenant (LVO) to Commander (CVO) within the Royal Victorian Order in the New Year Honours 2024 for services as Secretary to the Order of the Garter.
The Heraldry Society would like to express its deepest sympathy and condolences to HM Queen Elizabeth II and all the Royal Family on the death of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Further to our earlier tweet (or is it called an X now?) here is an example of the box with the cypher of King Charles III, courtesy of one of our followers
The Rank Slide and Badge of the Garrison Sergeant Major, London District
A position always held by Guardsmen of the Household Division, it is currently held by WO1 Stokes OBE MVO, Coldstream Guards
Sometimes called His/Her Majesty’s Ceremonial Warrant Officer, amongst Guardsmen
THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER
🏴 Founded by Edward III in 1348 and outranked only by the Victoria and George Crosses, the Order of the Garter is the most prized and senior of the Orders of Chivalry.
🏴 Legend has it that at a dance, the Countess of Salisbury’s garter fell
Some people think heraldry is a dead art, no longer part of our daily lives, and yet it is omnipresent even in the digital realm. Example: HM’s government in the UK has just updated its app jewel to the Tudor crown.
The Royal Badge of Wales.
🏴 Augmented design was approved by HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1953.
🏴 The circular band bears the motto: “y ddraig goch ddyru cychwyn” - “the red dragon will show the way” sometimes translated as “the red dragon gives the lead.”
👉 See below for a
SATURDAY AT GRIFF’S HOUSE 🏴 💂♂️
⚜️An heraldic map of Caernarfonshire, made around the time of the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales, 1969
⚜️It shows from L-R: arms of Prince of Wales, HM Queen Elizabeth II & the Duke of Edinburgh
⚜️It also features the arms of
The Arms of Sir Anthony Wagner KCB, KCVO, FSA. Impaled with those of his office, Garter Principal King of Arms
A prodigious scholar of heraldry and genealogy, maybe his greatest work is the magnificent Heralds of England (1967). Has anyone read that, or prefer another of his
Arms of John, King of Bohemia
👁️ This legendary warrior died at the Battle of Crecy in 1346; by which time he was, astonishingly, completely blind.
👁️ Still, he had his men escort him towards the fray where he was cut down, and perished
#LesArmoiriesDuVendredi
#battleofcrecy
The Heraldry Society is a membership organisation, open to all who have an interest in heraldry in the U.K. and Commonwealth Realms. We run free public lectures, publish a magazine and a journal, award various prizes and host an annual luncheon. Come and join us!
Did you know that heraldic convention recognises same-sex marriage? Here’s the banner of arms of
@AlastairBruce_
and his husband. Alastair is (among many other outstanding talents too numerous to mention here) Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary.
‘ello, ‘ello, ‘hello, what have we got here then? A challenge coin featuring the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom and His Majesty’s cypher in the Metropolitan Police badge
Garter King of Arms read the Proclamation at St James’s Palace this morning. To his sinister the Garrison Sergeant-Major of London District (rear) and The Earl Marshal, His Grace the Duke of Norfolk. To his dexter Clarenceux King of Arms
Someone is going to receive a rather special Christmas present! Unframed prints of our Loyal Address to His Majesty King Charles III are available for delivery world-wide from (42cm x 30cm)
Some of our members enjoyed a private guided tour of
@ArundelCastle
today thanks to the Cambridge University Heraldic & Genealogical Society and His Grace The Duke of Norfolk
In May of this year we presented a Loyal Address to His Majesty King Charles III on the occasion of his coronation. The Loyal Address is illustrated with the arms of the Society’s officers on council with those of the Society.
Heraldry has been described as the shorthand of history, and what a day in history it has been. Thank you to everyone who has followed us these past days. God rest Her Majesty. God Save the King.
Did you know the England Football team wear the Arms granted to the Football Association which are based upon those of the Royal Arms of England
#ENGCRO
For Burns Night - Philip Tibbets, March Pursuivant of Arms at
@LyonCourt
In addition to his role as an Officer of Arms, March Pursuivant is Honorary Vexillologist for Lyon Court.
He is only the 4th person to hold this historic office, whose roots date back to 1515 and the
The arms of Jersey do not have heraldic supporters, but here they may be seen offering ‘support’ in the form of an ironwork bracket in the St Helier’s covered market.
Today is
#InternationalHeraldryDay
and the Heraldry Society is taking the opportunity to refresh its branding with digital versions of its armorial achievement kindly produced by
@digitalheraldry
. Here is our full achievement, a rather snazzy design we think!
WHO’S WHO? - Sir Arthur Vicars KCVO, Ulster King of Arms.
The first in a series of posts of famous heraldic faces, current and past.
⚜️Vicars was Ulster King of Arms from 1893 to 1908. A noted scholar of Irish heraldry, his reputation as a student of that discipline was
Here is something of a mystery for our followers. A funerary hatchment, a married couple, but suspended from a the blue knot which is usually taken to indicate an unmarried maiden. What’s going on here?
Dear fellow Heraldists, the latest issue of the Society’s Journal ‘The Coat of Arms’ is now available for download by members. The journal is one of the benefits of membership of the Society.
Dear followers, a heraldic conundrum for you… How is the rameau atop the shield of the bailiwick of Guernsey blazoned, considering it is neither crest, supporter, or charge on the shield.
THE ARMS OF THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF SCRIVENERS
Wed 17 April —
John J. Tunesi of Liongam will deliver a lecture on The Arms of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners.
John is Hon. Secretary of our Society and a former Master of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners.
The
We've been viewing photos of banner procession for the 35th International Congress on Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences this morning. We'er in a bit of a banner mood so here are a few from
@StJohnsGate
Today is
#InternationalHeraldryDay
and the Heraldry Society is taking the opportunity to refresh its branding with digital versions of its armorial achievement kindly produced by
@digitalheraldry
. Here is our new logotype for use in presentations
The Arms of 1st Earl of Snowden 🏴
He played a pivotal role in the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969. Observant heraldists will note no order is present in this version. He was appointed to the Royal Victorian Order in 1969.
#heraldry
#coatofarms
As the clock counts down to the New Year we thought our followers might like to see the Royal Charter of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers which had no arms at the time of incorporation!
Dressed in my tabard as Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary for today’s Service of Installation and Thanksgiving of the Most Noble Order of the Garter at Windsor Castle. My tabard was made for Coronation of Edward VII in 1902
Arms of Thomas Cromwell
🐦⬛ The first shield bears on a fess between three lions rampant Or, a rose gules between two Cornish choughs proper. Cromwell was granted an augmentation in 1537, shown in image 2.
🐦⬛ QUESTION 1: What is the significance of the charges shown on a fess in
In 1984 the College of Arms celebrated 500 years since it was granted a Royal Charter by Richard III. Among several artefacts produced to celebrate the event was this ‘medal’ from the
@RoyalMintUK
JOIN THE HERALDRY SOCIETY
⚜️- Lectures by experts in their fields
⚜️- A growing, knowledgable community
⚜️- The Heraldry Gazette and Coat of Arms journal, straight to your inbox or door
⚜️- And much, much more!
Join the Society this New Year. DM us for more information. 🇬🇧
We couldn’t resist sharing this image sent as a Christmas greeting by our Deputy Chairman
@yorkherald
. School nativity plays up and down the country would only been enhanced by 3 Kings with these crowns.
Happy New Year to all our followers, members and non-members alike. We have a packed programme of lectures, magazine, journal, photographic competition, qualifications and awards in 2024. If you enjoy heraldry and pageantry, come join us.
The arms of Dame Mary Donaldson are probably the only example of a shrieval chain depicted on the arms of a sheriff, which would have been worn as a jewel hanging from the real chain
Thank you to BBC
@RadioHumberside
for inviting the Heraldry Society to speak on ‘Breakfast with a Smile’ this morning regarding the arms of Cleethorpes Rural District Council, its successor Cleethorpes Borough Council, and how heraldry is granted in the UK.
Arms of John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon KG - as shown on a ship’s sail
⚜️ He served during the Hundred Years’ War, and was High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine
You can find examples of coats of arms on monuments. A coat of arms with lots of different shields in one big shield is a visual family tree if you know how to interpret it.
SATURDAY AT GRIFF’S HOUSE 🏡
⚜️Spent organizing my collection of antique cigarette cards
⚜️Here you will see, amongst others, the Earl Marshal, Garter Principal King of Arms, Ulster King of Arms, Lord Lyon King of Arms and a Herald in Ordinary.
@yorkherald
@AlastairBruce_