ALNWICK DISTRICT COUNCIL |
ARMS: Paly of four Or and Gules issuant from barry wavy of four in base Argent and Azure a Mount thereon
a Port between two Towers proper statant thereon a Lion tail extended Azure armed and langued Argent. Motto 'SERVICE WITH JUSTICE'. The Alnwick District was formed by the amalgamation of the Alnwick Urban District, the Amble Urban District, the Alnwick Rural District and the Rothbury Rural District. The area was abolished on 31st March 2009, and became part of the Northumberland County Unitary Authority. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The four gold and red stripes are derived from the arms of the Northumberland County Council as is appropriate to the area embracing the ancient County capital. The County arms have eight gold and red stripes - here the shield is divided into four stripes only, in the same colours, for the four areas comprising the new District. The stylized waves of white and blue, at the base of the shield, refer to the sea and the rivers, especially the Coquet and the Aln. On the mound stands a two-towered grey-stone castle upon which is the Percy crest, the blue lion with extended tail, as seen on the Lion Bridge and the Tenantry Column in Alnwick. These recall the castle and lion in the Northumberland crest, and refer to the castles of the area, at Alnwick and Warkworth (both Percy castles) and Dunstanburgh. The castle is also the ancient badge of the County Sheriffs , and is a reminder that in Alnwick the County Courts were held and the High Sheriff read royal proclamations at the Market Cross. |
BERWICK-UPON-TWEED BOROUGH COUNCIL |
ARMS: Quarterly Azure and Gules in front of a Wych-Elm Tree growing from a Grassy Mount in base proper a Bear statant also proper muzzled and chained to the base of the tree with a Chain Or. Motto 'FLOREAT BERWICUM SUPER TWEDAM' - May Berwick-upon-Tweed flourish. The Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed was formed by the amalgamation of the former Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Belford Rural District, the Glendale Rural District and the Norham and Islandshires Rural District. The area was abolished on 31st March 2009, and became part of the Northumberland County Unitary Authority. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The division of the background into four divisions symbolises the four former authorities out of which the current Borough was formed. Similarly, because of the special position of the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed as the administrative centre the Bear and Tree device of the former Borough has been retained, perpetuating the heraldic pun on the name Berwick. |
BLYTH VALLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL |
ARMS: Per fess Gules and Azure on a Fess Argent between in chief Ancient Crowns fessewise Or and in base three Lymphads two and one proper flags flying to the dexter Gules three Ermine Spots Sable. Motto 'WE GROW BY INDUSTRY'. The Borough of Blyth Valley was formed by the amalgamation of the Borough of Blyth, part of the Borough of Whitley Bay and part of the Seaton Valley Urban District. The area was abolished on 31st March 2009, and became part of the Northumberland County Unitary Authority. Picture courtesy of Laurence Jones. |
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The arms are based on those of the former Borough of Blyth. The three crowns taken from the arms of Tynemouth Priory and are incorporated owing to the great importance of the Delaval family, who formerly owned the Priory, in the area. Similarly the three spots of ermine are taken directly from the Delaval arms. It is interesting to note that the Delavals were largely responsible for the development of coal-mining in the area which ultimately developed the port and led to increased prosperity. The three ships represent the importance of the Port of Blyth, they like each emblem on the shield is displayed in triplicate to commemorate the three former authorities which merged into Blyth Valley - the Borough of Blyth, the Seaton Valley UDC and part of Whitley Bay Borough Council. |
CASTLE MORPETH BOROUGH COUNCIL |
ARMS: Barry of ten Argent and Gules a Tower triple-turreted Or a Bordure Azure charged with eight Martlets Gold. Motto 'INTER SYLVAS ET FLUMINA HABITANS' - Living among woods and streams. The Borough of Castle Morpeth was formed by the amalgamation of the Borough of Morpeth, part of the Castle Ward Rural District and the Morpeth Rural District. The area was abolished on 31st March 2009, and became part of the Northumberland County Unitary Authority. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The arms are those of the former Borough of Morpeth, granted in 1552, the second earliest grant of arms accorded to a Civic Borough in England. The seal of Roger de Merlay I in 1166 bore a device of a floriated design upon the branches of which sat four merles - or blackbirds, probably a pun on the name of de Merlay. His son's seal was similar to that of his father. About 1255, however, Roger de Merlay III - the first of the family whose arms assumed a heraldic form - discarded this and adopted a seal depicting three gold merles flying up a blue shield. Ten years later he had the middle part of his shield painted in stripes of silver and red within a blue border upon which were eight golden merles. He thus combined upon the coat of arms the birds of his own family with the bars of the Stuttevilles, from whose family his grandmother was descended. When the arms were granted to Morpeth, he retained 'a parcel' of the arms of the 'Noble and Valiant Knight, Sir Roger de Merlay, for a perpetual memory of his goodwill towards the town' but introduced the castle turret. |
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