Cheshire Heraldry Web Journal

Yesterday saw a very good turn out for The Cheshire Heraldry Society’s summer outing. Thanks to the organising ability of Society Chairman, Harold Storey, members and guests were saturated with the colour and splendour of the heraldry of the Crewe family.

We met just before mid-day at St.Bertoline’s Church at Barthomley; this is the church of the Crewe family and is the final resting place of the Garter banner and Crest of the 1st Marquess of Crewe who died in 1945 when the title became extinct.

After lunch we made our way to Crewe Hall where, I think it is safe to say, we were overawed by the sheer quality and quantity of heraldry dedicated to the Crewe and allied families. Crewe Hall is lavishly decorated with heraldry which sets out the rich and personal history of those who were once privileged to call it their home. I took over 170 photographs in the Hall alone and I know that I didn’t capture all of the shields, achievements, crests and heraldic beasts which adorn this heraldryadict’s dream home.

Lord Crewe and five generations of his family enjoyed this house from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century. Charles Dicken’s grandmother and grandfather were housekeeper and butler and records show that Royal visitors were often entertained in the house which from 1936 to 1998 was owned by the Duchy of Lancaster. During the second world war the house was home to many soldiers from the allied nations who must have enjoyed the benefit of the extensive grounds for their perambulations. Since 1998 Crewe Hall has been a hotel and the owners have retained and maintained all the splendour of the house including, thankfully, all of its heraldry. Well done Harold for negotiating our complete freedom to roam as we wished and photograph what we liked and thanks to the management and guests for putting up with us.

At about 3.30 in the afternoon I left for home but most of the group went on to enjoy the delights of Nantwich Church described by Raymond Richards as “One of the great architectural treasures of Cheshire”. Although I didn’t manage to stay with the truly dedicated who went on to Nantwich, I can say that in regard to the Crewe heraldry, my cup ranneth over.

Recently sold on Ebay (12th July 2010) for a final bid of £155.87 and postage and packing of £8.00 Letters Patent to Richard Orford granting permission to use the name and arms of Robert Holt. Described by the vendor as being “an original scroll from the Royal College of Arms in London. The scroll is dated 1825. It gives permission for Richard Orford to use the surname and bear the arms of his wifes (sic) late father Robert Holt. Richard Orford was from Manchester. It is beautifully hand coloured in very good clean condition with only light wear from age. There are a few small surface bends and a small tear where one of the ribbons had been attached. It comes in its original box. The box is tatty but it could be easily restored.”

I’m always pleased when society publications drop through the letterbox and last week’s arrival of The Heraldry Society’s Coat of Arms and Heraldry Gazette gave me an excuse to stop work, have a cuppa and indulge my addiction. One particular small piece has occupied my thoughts over the last day or so.

The article in question is the report that in 2008 three new road signs were erected by the Parish Council on each of the approach roads to this old South Yorkshire Village.

The report identifies the arms illustrated on the village sign as those of Anne of Burghwallis, long standing local land owners, one of whom still lives in the village.

Why has this small report occupied my thoughts so much on this wonderfully sunny weekend?

I have a particular interest in the activities of Parish Councils and I have more than once set down my thoughts about local authorities who use unauthorised armorial bearings; I would dearly love to see those authorities who feel that the use of armorial bearings is important to them actually putting their money where their mouth is and investing in a grant of arms from the Heralds College. 

These signs show the arms of the Anne family and not the arms of any local authority governing the ancient village of Burghwallis. It may be patently obvious to the residents of the ancient village of Burghwallis that these arms are those of the Anne family but then again, knowing how many people are truly ignorant of heraldry, it may not.  How many residents and visitors will, quite understandably, be under the impression that these are the arms of “the village” or, more properly, of the Parish Council?

In my humble opinion this is a prime case of a local authority, Burghwallis Parish Council, using armorial bearings which it has no right to use; it doesn’t even have the excuse of assuming unauthorised arms, it has in fact usurped the arms of the Anne family and is using them to represent, or identify, the village.

It is quite possible that the Parish Council has the tacit consent of at least one surviving member of the Anne family but it is questionable as to whether such consent could be given. The College of Arms states that arms that have been granted to an armiger have been granted to him and his descendants according to the law of arms and that under a ruling of the College those arms may not be used by any other body or person.

If Burghwallis Parish Council wishes to use armorial bearings they jolly well ought to petition for their own.

See The Court of Chivalry - 1954 Manchester Corporation v Manchester Palace of Varieties Ltd [1955] 1 All ER 387.

This week has seen the announcement by Peter Harling Esq. of the receipt of the blazon for his new heraldic badge. Peter says that he was ” extremely pleased to receive from Mr Dickinson (Norroy & Ulster) this week, the confirmed blazon for my badge grant. Viz: A Unicorn Sejant Sable armed and unguled and gorged with a collar attached thereto a chain Or reflexed behind the Unicorn and terminating in a Rose Gules barbed and seeded Proper. The spirit behind the design is that the Sejant Sable Unicorn was borne by a branch of my family (now extinct), and it was our family wish to resurrect the Sejant Sable Unicorn and bring it home to Lancashire, hence the chain terminating with a red rose. ”

Although Peter has yet to receive his Letters Patent and has not therefore seen his Unicorn in the flesh I have taken the liberty of placing my own interpretation of the blazon at the head of this post. There is something rather romantic about the resurrection of a Unicorn.

Congratulations Peter.

Massye de Grafton et de Cestr’.
Arms: Quarterly -
1 & 4 Quarterly Gules and Or, in the first quarter a lion passant Argent, a crescent Sable on a crescent Argent for difference.
2 & 3 Per saltire Sable and Ermine, a lion rampant Or; over the four quarterings a crescent Azure for difference.

Crest: An owl Sable.       

http://cheshire-heraldry.org.uk/visitations/CV34.html

Born on the Wirral, Lesley Holt had a lifelong interest in art and art history. This interest was soon channelled into Medievalism and Heraldry. The love of heraldry coupled with a fine artistic talent and ability to absorb the most esoteric facts gave her a formidable advantage in discussions and in her talks and lectures over many years.

For over half a century she was a member of the Cheshire (originally Macclesfield) Heraldry Society and was in several other like bodies including the Stockport Writers Circle. She was a keen attender at meetings and visits and maintained this interest despite ill-health.

A determined traveller she said that “everyone should see Everest before they die” - so off she went to Nepal !!!

Her passing leaves an immense void in the local heraldry world.

In a statement on behalf of The Cheshire Heraldry Society, Chairman Harold Storey, sent the following message: 

Mrs. Lesley A. Holt - an appreciation 

We were all very saddened by the recent death of one of our founder members.  Lesley has always been a keen supporter of our activities, and has acted as Secretary and held other offices over the years.    

Lesley was a keen amateur heraldic artist, she designed the Society’s badge.  She enjoyed passing on her heraldic knowledge, even running classes for young children at her local school.  Her enthusiasm for heraldry even extended to her joining a local jousting club, where she made sure that all the shields being displayed at least followed the laws of heraldry.   Some years ago she wrote a column in Cheshire Life about the Coats of Arms of various Cheshire families. 

Lesley had many other interests, not least the successes of her son - a marine biologist, and her daughter and grand-daughter who cared for her in her recent illness.

Lesley Audrey Holt (1928 - 2010)

 The Visitations of Cheshire (1533 - 1580) record the arms of the baron of Kinderton as:

Venables, Baron of Kinderton
Arms: Quarterly -
1 & 6 Azure, two bars Argent.
2 Argent, a cross flory between four martlets Gules [Golborne]
3 Vert, a wyvern Argent .
4 Argent, three piles in point wavy Sable.
5 Azure, an eagle displayed Argent [Coton]

Crest: A wyvern, with wings endorsed Argent, devouring a child proper.  

I don’t live too far away from Boscobel House so today will see a few local celebrations though I wouldn’t mind betting that the (English) man in the street if asked what was special about today would most likely think that the question related to the fact that, by coincidence, this is a “bank holiday” weekend and would have no idea that today is Oak Apple Day. My own little heraldic hint to this day is reflected in my choice of an oak tree in the “Goostrey” punning crest. 

 Oak Apple Day or, as it is also known, Royal Oak Day used to be officially celebrated as a holiday in England on 29 May to commemorate the restoration of the English monarchy, in May 1660. I believe that in some parts of the country, the day was also known as Shick-Shack Day or Arbour Day.

It was first declared as a public holiday by Parliament in 1660:

“Parliament had ordered the 29 of May, the King’s birthday, to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King’s return to his Government, he entering London that day.”

Sadly it was abolished (as a holiday, not as a celebration) in 1859 but the occurrences after the Battle of Worcester in September 1651, when the future Charles II of England escaped the Roundhead army by hiding in an oak tree near Boscobel House, are still widely celebrated in Shropshire and elsewhere to commemorate the return of our beloved Monarchy.

Have a Happy Oak Apple Day (and a restful Bank Holiday weekend).

I have just returned from one of my regular, enjoyable, sojourns to Edinburgh; good company, plenty of heraldry and, this time at least, exceptionally good weather. It has become something of a custom to have an informal heraldic show and tell and I thought I would share with you a piece which really is something for the man who has everything - an armorial pepper mill (or pepper pot). It’s quite a cute little EPNS pepper mill which came with its own wee case. A snip at £20 or so from a local auction house, its new owner has had a silver escutcheon of his own arms made and attached to personalise it.

See the small picture inset to give you an idea of the scale. Some of you might recognise the arms.

I was pleased to learn that, across the border in Shropshire, the recently created  Shrewsbury Town Council has now received its Royal Licence for the transfer of the arms of the former Borough of Shrewsbury said to have first been used in 1623 and derived from the Royal lions in a 13th Century seal with the colours of Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury.

It’s just a pity that the proper officer of the Council, its Clerk, doesn’t appreciate that not only is it not called a crest but it doesn’t even have one. The agenda for the Shrewsbury Town Council meeting held on Monday 15th March 2010:

5. Announcements

To receive any announcements from the Mayor or the Town Clerk.

(i) Receipt of the Royal Licence to use the Shrewsbury Town Crest by Shrewsbury Town Council