NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 1974 to 2021

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

ARMS: Argent a Rose Gules barbed and seeded proper on a Chief of the second a Fetterlock Or between two Roses of the first barbed and seeded also proper.
CREST: On a Wreath of the Colours a Falcon close Argent gorged with a Cord tied Gules.
SUPPORTERS: On the dexter side a Hart Argent gorged with an Iron Collar and Chain reflexed over the back proper on the sinister side a Bull guardant Sable gorged with a Collar and Line reflexed over the back Or.

Motto 'ROSA CONCORDIA SIGNUM' - The rose, emblem of harmony.
Granted 1st August 1939.

northants cc arms

A rose has long been the emblem of Northamptonshire, having appeared on a seal used by the magistrates in Quarter Sessions as far back as 1665. The fetterlock and roses recall Northamptonshire's associations with the houses of York and Lancaster, whose rivalry culminated in the Wars of the Roses, and whose ultimate union was symbolized by the Tudor rose.
The silver falcon is derived from the heraldry of Edward III and his great great great great grandson Edward IV, who was linked to the county through his marriage at Grafton Regis to Elizabeth Woodville, a member of an ancient Northamptonshire family which supported the Lancastrian cause, and which is represented in the arms by the red rose. The white roses, the falcon, and the fetterlock are all Yorkist badges.
The black bull and the white hart are taken from the heraldry of the Yorkist Kings, and also refer to the county's leather and shoe-making industries. The white hart also represents the ancient royal forests of Rockingham, Salcey and Whittlebury and its metal collar the steel industry.
This motto refers to the Tudor rose a combination of the white Yorkist and red Lancastrian roses.


CORBY BOROUGH COUNCIL (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE)

ARMS: Gules a Cross patonce cantoning four Oak Leaves each enfiled by a Ducal Coronet Or.
CREST: On a Wreath of the Colours a Corbie wings elevated Sable beaked membered gorged with a Ducal Coronet and chained Or its dexter claw resting on a Gad of Steel proper.

Motto 'DEEDS NOT WORDS'.
Granted 3rd March 1958, to the Corby Urban District Council.

The Borough of Corby formed by the amalgamation of the Corby Urban District and part of the Kettering Rural District.

corby bc arms

The red background and gold cross are from the arms of the Latimer Family, former Lords of the Manor. The four crowns in each quarter indicate that Corby is of ancient demesne, as shown in the Doomsday Book and that it was a Royal Manor before and after the Norman Conquest. Threaded through the crowns are four oak leaves, indicating the location of the town in the Royal Forest of Rockingham.
The wreath and mantling are in the basic red and gold of the shield, whilst the a raven or corbie, is symbolic of the name Corby. The gold collar and chain distinguish it from other raven crests. The wings of the raven are extended and in one claw it holds a gad or block of steel, indicating the major industry that was once the mainstay of the town.
The motto indicates Corby's attitude to social responsibility.


KETTERING BOROUGH COUNCIL (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE)

*ARMS: Sable on a Fess Argent between in chief a Garb Or between two Annulets embattled on the outer edge Argent and in base a Pelt Or five Lozenges conjoined Gules.
*CREST: On a Wreath Or and Sable a representation of the Geddington Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross proper between two Fountains each charged with a Martlet Sable.
*SUPPORTERS: On the dexter side a female Figure richly attired in antique Habit Azure and upon her head a Plume of three Ostrich Feathers Argent and on the sinister side a Negro proper habited about the waist with a Cloth and his sinister wrist encircled with a Handcuff pendent therefrom a broken Chain Azure.

Motto 'PROGRESSIO ET CONCORDIA' - Progress and concord.
Granted .

The Borough of Kettering was formed by the amalgamation of the former Borough of Kettering, the Burton Latimer Urban District, the Desborough Urban District, the Rothwell Urban District and part of the Kettering Rural District.

kettering bc arms

The five red conjoined diamonds refer to the five former local authorities, whose areas were united in 1974 to form the current Borough. The diamonds derive from the arms of the Montagus of Boughton in whom part of the Manor of Kettering was vested. The gold pelt, like that in the arms of the former Borough of Kettering, the sheaf of wheat and the two silver cogwheels, refer to the marriage of the urban and rural areas of the Borough and represent the leather used in the footwear industry and its allied trades, agriculture and food production, which with engineering are the three main historical activities in the Borough.
The crest depicts Geddington Cross which is an outstanding historical monument in the Borough, and one of the three remaining Crosses erected by King Edward I at each place where the body of his wife Queen Eleanor of Castile rested overnight on its journey from Lincolnshire to Westminster Abbey in 1294. The heraldic fountains at both sides of the base of the Cross symbolises the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society at the Mission House in Lower Street, Kettering, in 1792. The black martlets taken from the arms of the Watsons of Rockingham recognising the vesting of the remaining part of the Manor of Kettering in the Watson family. Both the fountains and martlets appeared in the arms of the former Borough.
The female figure is taken from the arms of the Dukes of Buccleuch and Queensberry, who descend from the Montagu family and the male figure with a broken chain, as in the arms of the former Borough, symbolises the pioneer and triumphant work of William Knibb in the cause of the freedom of slaves. Knibb was born in Market Street, Kettering in 1803.


SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL

ARMS: Azure a Lion Rampant within an Orle of Garbs Or.
CREST: On a Wreath of Colours out of a Coronet Or a Cock's Head Gules combed and wattled Or the whole between two Roses Gules barbed and seeded proper.

Motto 'HORA E SEMPRE' - Now and always.
Granted ?

The South Northamptonshire District was formed by the amalgamation of the Borough of Brackley, the Brackley Rural District, part of the Northampton Rural District and the Towcester Rural District.

south northamptonshire dc arms

The gold lion is derived from the device used by the Borough of Brackley and the wheat sheaves allude to the Towcester and Northampton Rural Districts, being found in the device of Towcester RDC and the Northampton RDC arms. They also have reference to the Hesketh family.
The crest is based on one of the two armorial bearings of Lord Hesketh to which two roses have been added by way of difference and as a further reference to Northampton Rural District.


WELLINGBOROUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE)

*ARMS: Per pale Gules and Or five Roundels barry wavy of six those on the dexter Or and Gules and those on the sinister Gules and Or the centre Roundel Or and Gules per pale counter-changed.
*CREST On a Wreath of the Colours in front of an Annulet embattled on the outer edge per pale Gules and Sable a Garb Or.
*SUPPORTERS: On the dexter side a Bull guardant Sable armed and supporting an Abbatical Crozier Or with Veil proper and on the sinister side a Lion guardant Or armed and langued Gules supporting with the front paw a Currier's Shave proper.
*BADGE: A Roundel barry wavy of six Gules and Or ensigned with a Mural Crown also Or with Flames issuant proper.

Motto 'FORWARD TOGETHER'.
Granted ?.

The Borough of Wellingborough was formed by the amalgamation of the Wellingborough Urban District and the Wellingborough Rural District.

wellingborough bc arms
wellingborough badge
Badge

The five symbolic wells, like those in the arms of the Wellingborough UDC, refer to the five chalybeate wells of Wellingborough - Redwell, Hemmingwell, Witche's Well, Lady's Well and Whytewell. As they contain iron, here red has been used, with gold to indicate the wealth of the area. The whole design of the shield has been counter changed per pale in order to produce a striking effect.
The gold garb, like those in the arms of the Wellingborough RDC, alludes to agriculture in the area and on either side a cog wheel which taken together symbolise, not only agriculture, but also the industrial aspects of the area. The colours of the cog wheel are black and red so as to complement the dexter supporter and the basic colour of the shield of arms.
The black bull is a further reference to the agriculture of the area and also inspired by the crest of Wellingborough UDC as well as by one of the supporters of Northamptonshire County Council. The bull supports a crosier and veil proper of an abbot in allusion to Croyland Abbey. The sinister supporter shows a gold lion derived from the arms of the Wellingborough UDC. It supports a Currier's shave - a tool much used in the preparation of leather and so an allusion to the celebrated leather industry of the area.
The badge consisted of a symbolic well along with a mural crown which refers to municipal government and so a borough - in other words, the badge was a pun or cant on the word Wellingborough. From out of the mural Crown rise flames, an allusion to the renowned Fire of Wellingborough in 1738 - and as a further conjunction and exhortation to the inhabitants to overcome all difficulties as were overcome on that occasion.


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