SEVERN VALLEY AND MARCHES AREA |
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The Severn Valley and Marches Area is formed from the western part of the East Midlands Government Office Region and the northern part of the South West Government Office Region. I have named it after the River Severn and the Welsh Marches. It includes the historic counties of Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. In terms of former administrative counties it includes Shropshire, Hereford and Worcester, Gloucestershire and the northern part of Avon. In terms of ceremonial counties is includes Shropshire, Hereforshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Bristol.
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GLOUCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL |
ARMS: Per chevron Gules and Or in chief two Fleeces and in base three Chevronels counterchanged on a Chief of the second a Billet Azure between two Billets Vert each charged with a Horseshoe Gold. Motto 'PRORSUM SEMPER' - Ever forward. |
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The chevrons are from the arms of the Clare Earls of Gloucester. The first horseshoe is derived from the old arms of the City of Gloucester, the second is from the arms of the Allen family, and the third is from the arms of the Cripps family. The fleeces represent the woollen industry. |
HEREFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (UA) |
ARMS: Gules on a Fesse wavy between in chief a Lion passant guardant Argent and in base a Herefordshire Bull's Head caboshed proper a Bar wavy Azure. Motto 'PULCHRA TERRA DEI DONUM' - This fair land is the gift of God. In 1974 Herefordshire was merged with neighbouring Worcestershire to form the relatively short-lived County of Hereford and Worcester. On 1st April 1998 it was split out again, in the form of a unitary authority, with broadly the same borders as before. |
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The red background is taken form the arms of the City of Hereford and also represents the red earth of Herefordshire. The silver lion is from the arms of the City of Hereford, and in base is a Herefordshire Bull's head. The silver and blue wave represents the River Wye. |
WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL |
ARMS: Argent issuant from a Mount on a Base [wavy] barry wavy of four Argent and Azure a Pear Tree proper fructed Sable; the Shield ensigned with a Mural Crown Or. Granted 21st May 1947, to the previous County Council. Worcestershire was merged with Herefordshire on 1st April 1974 to form the County of Hereford and Worcester. On 1st April 1998 the County was newly constituted and Hereford and Worcester abolished. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce without permission of Worcestershire County Council. |
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The pear-tree has long been an emblem of the County and three black pears appear in the arms of the City of Worcester. These arms are said to have been adopted to mark the visit of Queen Elizabeth I to Worcester, when the loyal townsfolk transplanted a pear-tree under fruit from its orchard to the centre of the City. The blue and white waves undoubtedly refer to the River Severn. |
BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL (UA) (GLOUCS) |
ARMS: Gules on the sinister side a Castle with two towers domed all argent on each dome a Banner charged with the Cross of St. George the Castle on a Mount Vert the dexter base Water proper thereon a Ship of three masts Or the rigging Sable sailing from a port in the dexter tower her fore and main masts being visible and on each a round top of the fifth on the foremast a sail set and on the mainmast a sail furled of the second. Motto 'VIRTUTE EN INDUSTRIA' - By virtue and industry. Picture and badge information courtesy of Laurence Jones. |
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The arms clearly express the City's ancient character of a fortified port. They are traceable to the design on the 14th century seal of the Mayoralty showing the prow of a ship issuing from the portway of a castle. On another seal of the same century is a single-masted ship sailing towards a tower on which is a watchman beckoning to the steersman in the ship. This seal bears the inscription: PORTA CVSTODIT PORT' VIGIL INDICE-PDIT Mr Gale Pedrick in his book Borough Seals gives the following translation: 'I am the key of the secret port. The pilot steers the helm of the ship. The warden points out the port with his forefinger'. 'The position of the castle was such that it commanded the entrance to the ancient town', states Mr Pedrick. 'It had a secret port through which vessels of considerable build passed easily right into its area, the Avon being thus made to communicate with the ditch, and the archway towards which the ship is being guided is considered to represent this secret harbour'. Although the interesting detail of the warden pointing the way into the harbour is omitted from the arms, they dearly refer to Bristol's secret port. The snake is said to represent Wisdom, and the scales Justice. The badge consists of a roundel bearing the main charges from the City arms, while the encircling rope is for Bristol's maritime interests. The four fleurs-de-lys represent the points of a compass, and thus the City's role in exploration. |
BROMSGROVE DISTRICT COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Vert a Crozier Or and a Connecting Rod in saltire threaded by a Sickle the handle in
base proper. Motto 'BY SERVICE WE GOVERN'. The Bromsgrove District was formed by the amalgamation of the Bromsgrove Urban District and the Bromsgrove Rural District. |
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The green background, like that of the Bromsgrove RDC arms, refers to the extensive Green Belt and rural areas. The golden Crozier recalls the close connections of much of the District of times past with the Bishops of Worcester, in particular, the east side of the District where there was a Bishop's Palace at Alvechurch much frequented by Bishop Latimer. The connecting rod represents modern industry - particularly the motor industry and the great forging works in the town and the sickle is represents ancient industry - this in Bromsgrove town was the manufacture of nails, but scythes and
sickles were manufactured in the west of the District, the water-powered industry being centred upon Belbroughton. |
CHELTENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (GLOUCS) |
ARMS: Or a Chevron engrailed Gules between two Pigeons in chief and an Oak Tree eradicated in base proper on a Chief Azure a Cross flory Argent between two open Books also proper binding and clasps of the first. Motto 'SALUBRITAS ET ERUDITIO' - Health and erudition. |
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The cross is that of Edward the Confessor, to whom the Manor of Cheltenham at one time belonged. The Manor is consequently 'Terra Regis', and of 'Ancient Demesne'. The open books are emblematic of the educational advantages Cheltenham possesses and is so famed for, in the Ancient Foundation of Pate's Grammar School. The oak-trees and sprays are symbolic of the avenues of trees in the public promenades and streets, for which Cheltenham is also celebrated. |
COTSWOLD DISTRICT COUNCIL (GLOUCS) |
*ARMS: Vert in chief two Fleeces Argent each banded and ringed Or and in base on a Pile wavy reversed Argent a like Pile Azure. Motto 'UNITED WE SERVE'. The District of Cotswold was formed by the amalgamation of the Cirencester Urban District, the Cirencester Rural District, the North Cotswold Rural District, the Northleach Rural District and the Tetbury Rural District. |
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The green background symbolizes the Cotswold Hills, and the blue represents the River Thames, the source of which is found near Kemble. The woolsacks, like those in the arms of the Northleach RDC, and the fleeces represent the famous Cotswold wool trade. |
FOREST OF DEAN DISTRICT COUNCIL (GLOUCS) |
ARMS: Vert in chief an Oak Tree couped of five branches each having two leaves and fructed of one acom and in base a Stag's Head caboshed the attires each of five tynes all Or all between two Flaunches Argent on each three Bars wavy Azure. Motto 'TWIXT SEVERN AND WYE'. The District of Forest of Dean was formed by the amalgamation of the East Dean Rural District, part of the Gloucester Rural District, the Lydney Rural District, the Newent Rural District and the West Dean Rural District. |
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The green background and stag's head in gold, like that in the arms of East Dean RDC and Lydney RDC, typifies the ancient foresters' rights of 'vert and venison' and the royal hunting forest. The stylized heraldic oak tree with its five branches and acorns represents the new Forest of Dean District comprising five former rural districts. The white and blue waves symbolize the Rivers Severn and Wye, between which the District mainly lies. |
GLOUCESTER CITY COUNCIL (GLOUCS) |
ARMS: Or three Chevronels between ten Torteaux Gules three three three and one. Motto 'FIDES INVICTA TRIUMPHAT' - Unconquered faith triumphs or Faith indomitable wins through. |
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The City of Gloucester enjoys the distinction of two ancient grants of arms. The first, which may be termed the Tudor coat, was granted in 1538. The second, which may be termed the Commonwealth coat, was assigned in 1652. |
REDDITCH BOROUGH COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Argent on a Cross engrailed Vert a Needle point downwards of the field eyed and ensigned with an Ancient Crown Or in the first quarter a Salmon-Fly in bend proper. Motto 'REDDITE DEO' - Render unto God or Redditch for God. The Borough of Redditch is coterminious with the former Redditch Urban District. |
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The white background is taken from the habit of the monks of the Cistercian Abbey of Bordesley, founded in 1136 by the Empress maud, since Redditch grew from a hamlet near this religious foundation. The green colour of the cross is suggestive of holly, chosen because the Abbey and the present Parish Church were dedicated to St Stephen, whose festival falls within the Christmas season. The green also commemorates the former Feckenham Forest, within which the Borough stands. The ancient crown alludes to King John who made the forest "Royal", and to his grandmother the Empress Maud. The needle and the salmon-fly mark the principal industries. |
WORCESTER CITY COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS (ANCIENT): Quarterly sable and gules, a castle triple-towered argent. Motto 1 'FLOREAT SEMPER FIDELIS CIVITAS' - Let the faithful city ever flourish. |
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There has been much confusion about the City's arms, with two shields in various combinations, and three mottos, in use at various times. The "ancient" arms doubtless commemorate Worcester Castle, of which nothing remains. The "modern" arms, in fact more than three years old, are said to have been adopted to mark Queen Elizabeth I's visit to Worcester in 1575. Tradition has it that during her procession through the streets of Worcester the Queen saw a black pear tree which had been planted in the Foregate in her honour. She was so pleased at the appropriateness of the tree growing right in the heart of a fruit growing region, that she bade the city add the emblem of pears to its arms. At various times the modern arms have been placed on a canton on the ancient arms, and appears as such on a map of Worcester by J. Roper in 1806. |
WYCHAVON DISTRICT COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Vert gutty Argent in chief and Or in base two Croziers addorsed palewise Gold over all on a Fess wavy Argent a Bar wavy Azure surmounted of a Saxon Crown also Gold. Motto 'ET PATRIBUS ET POSTERIS'. The Wychavon District was formed by the amalgamation of the Borough of Droitwich, the Borough of Evesham, most of the Droitwich Rural District, the Evesham Rural District and most of the Pershore Rural District. |
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The green background refers to the rich agricultural land which characterises the area. The silver drops represent the rain which, when it waters the land, turns the crops to gold - hence golden drops. The wavy band across the shield symbolises the River Avon, which flows across the District and forms the second element in its name. The Saxon crown is for the Hwicca, the Saxon tribe who gave the District the first element in its name. The croziers represent the two great Abbeys of Evesham and Pershore, which once dominated the area. |
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BRIDGNORTH TOWN COUNCIL (SALOP) |
ARMS: Argent on a Rock in base a Castle of three Towers with spires proper from the dexter spire a Banner of St. George and from the sinister spire a Banner quarterly Gules a Lion passant Or and Azure a Fleur de Lys also Or on a Chief Vert a Lion passant guardant Gold. Motto 'FIDELITAS URBIS SALUS REGIS' - The faithfulness of the city is the safety of the King. |
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The arms are base upon the former seal, dating from the fifteenth century, which was displayed on a shield before the current arms were granted. The seal bore a castle with a central domed tower, and on either side thereof a shield, one bearing the cross of St George, and the other the Royal Arms: France and England quarterly. The castle represents that built in 1098 by Robert de Belesme, Earl of Shrewsbury, who held it in rebellion against Henry I. During the Civil War the castle was besieged by the Parliamentary forces and finally demolished. |
CIRENCESTER TOWN COUNCIL (GLOUCS) |
ARMS: Or a Capital of a Roman Column carved with Acanthus Leaves and in their midst a demifigure of a Female habited holding in the sinister hand a Disc Mirror all proper and on a Chief embattled Vert rising from flames proper a Phoenix Gold. Motto 'CORINIUM FLOREAT' - May Corinium flourish. |
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The main charge is is based upon a capital excavated in 1838 and now in the Corinium Museum. This capital shows a female figure holding a mirror, the figure being the upper half of the woman and appearing as it were out of a panache of acanthus leaves. The phoenix rising from flames, has long been used as an emblem by the town. This may be derived from a device of Elizabeth I, who adopted the phoenix, it is said to symbolise her recovery from smallpox. Another theory is that it refers to the razing of Corinium by the Saxons, who later rebuilt the town. The embattled edge of the green chief is an allusion to the Roman origin of the town which was an administrative centre within the Roman empire. |
CLENT PARISH COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Argent on a Saltire Vert between four Torteaux a Shackle of four Chains saltirewise the ends terminated in four broken Fetters Or. Motto 'I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES'. |
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The red roundels are taken from the arms of the See of Worcester, and the green of the saltire is from the colour of the shield of arms of the Bromsgrove DC, in which the Parish of Clent lies. The gold shackle with broken fetters is the emblem of St Leonard, to whom the Parish Church is dedicated, representing not only the Saint's miracle in freeing a prisoner, but the liberation of the Spirit from the burdens of life, which is part of the purpose of the Parish Council. The design also illustrates one of the features of Clent, which has four main clusters of habitation separated by green fields. |
DROITWICH TOWN COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Gules a Sword of State point downwards Argent surmounted of two Lions passant Or impaling quarterly first and fourth chequy Argent and Sable second and third Gules two Barrows erect in fesse Argent. Recorded at the Visitation of 1634. Certified by Chester Herald in 1952. |
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The local tradition concerning the arms has it that in the days of King John, that monarch was fain to sell all his rights here to the burgesses for an annuity, which he disposed of next day to his brother, William of the Long Sword. The town proudly assumed for its coat of arms John's lions impaled on William's sword. Two lions passant were John's arms before he came to the throne. Salt extraction has been important in Droitwich since Roman times and for five centuries the its manufacture of salt was a monopoly guarded jealously. The guild took another coat of arms showing the wicker moulds, know as barrows, and the chequered table for their accounts. The two arms were eventually placed together on one shield. |
DURSLEY TOWN COUNCIL (GLOUCS) |
ARMS: Azure on a Base Or two Columns supporting on semi-circular Arches the lower part of a building Argent between the Columns a Balance Gold on a Chief Gules a Pale Argent thereon between two Crosses flory Or a Water Wheel proper resting on a Base wavy Azure charged with a Bar wavy also Argent. . Granted 7th January 1991. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The columns and arches give a representation of the unique Market Place and Town Hall at Dursley, and the balance emphasises its use as a Market Place, its initial use being instituted by Royal Grant in 1471. The two crosses flory signify the historical and continuing link with Durs1ey Church, a town centre landmark that has been part of Dursley life since Medieval times. They also refer to the religious activity of William King and Bishop Edmund Fox, nationally known names. The industry in the town dates back to water power in the valley, and this industrial heritage is reflected in the waterwheel. |
EVESHAM TOWN COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Azure a Prince's Coronet Or between two Ostrich Feathers in chief Argent the quills bezantée and a Garb in base of the second all within a Bordure Sable bezantée. Recorded at the Visitations of 1604, 1634 and 1682 for the Borough of Evesham. |
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All the emblems are from the insignia of Henry, Prince of Wales, son of James I. In 1605 Lewis Bayley, Vicar of Evesham and Chaplain to Prince Henry, influenced the Prince, to persuade his father to grant a Charter of Incorporation to Evesham. The bezants are from the arms of the Duke of Cornwall, and the wheatsheaf stands for the Earl of Chester, two of Henry's other titles. |
HEREFORD CITY COUNCIL (HERE) |
ARMS: Gules three Lions passant guardant in pale Argent on a Bordure Azure ten Saltires of the second. Motto 'INVICTAE FIDELITATIS PRAEMIUM' - Reward for faithfulness unconquered. The City of Hereford Charter Trustees became Hereford Town Council on 1st April 2000, when Hereford became a Parish Council. On 9th October 2000 the Queen reinstated the status of City on Hereford and the parish council took the title of Hereford City Council. |
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Hereford bore on an early seal the Royal Arms of Richard I, who gave the City its first Royal Charter in 1189. It seems to have coloured the lions silver for the purpose of creating a distinctive (but unauthorized) coat of arms. The entire remainder of the design dates from 1645 at which time England was in a state of civil war.
The City of Hereford supported the King and was garrisoned by Royalist troops. The garrison was very small and a large force of Scottish troops under the command of Leslie, Earl of Leven, arrived in Hereford. However, the citizens of Hereford joined with the soldiers and did the duties of soldiers so nobly that they kept the Cromwellian troops at bay for approximately five weeks. There was no penetration of the City defenses at any time by the Scottish troops whose sole achievement of destroying one span of the old bridge over the Wye and dislodging a few stones from the City walls. At the end of five weeks, the Scots gave up trying to capture the City and left. Leaving the Royal Standard flying in triumph over the City. King Charles I, on hearing of this was delighted and full of praise for the citizens of Hereford. He visited the City in order to thank them personally for their success. He dined one night at the Bishop’s Palace and at the end of this dinner he is alleged to have made the Grant of Arms, which has resulted in the Coat of Arms, which the City of Hereford now possesses. The lions surrounded by saltires, or St Andrew's Crosses, represent the Royalist forces hemmed in by the insurgent Scots, and the buckles on the collars of the supporting lions are from the arms of the Earl of Leven. The lion and sword of the crest signify loyalty to and defense of the Crown, and is rare in civic heraldry. Of even greater rarity is the barred peer’s helm supporting the crest found only in the arms of one other municipal authority in England – The City of London. King Charles I also gave the motto. The terms of the grant, dated 1645, printed in full in Fox-Davies's Book of Public Arms, set forth that, |
LYDNEY TOWN COUNCIL (GLOUCS) |
ARMS: Sable a Fess Ermine in chief two Crosses formy Or over all a representation of the Market Cross at Lydney issuant from the base proper. Motto 'LABORES PROSINT CETERIS' - May our work benefit our fellows. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The gold crosses on black are from the arms of the Bathurst Barons Bledisloe, Lords of the Manor of Lydney, and the fess is from the arms of the Winter family. The market cross indicates Lydney's importance as the trading centre of the rural area. |
MALVERN TOWN COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Argent two Lions passant queue fourchée Gules on a Chief of the last a Cross patonce Or between two Fountains. Motto 'LEVAVI OCULOS MEOS IN MONTES' - I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills. |
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The two red lions walking with forked tails are taken from the arms of the Earls Beauchamp. The cross is taken from the arms of the ancient See of Westminster, suppressed in 1540, and alludes to the mediaeval connections between the Priory of Great Malvern and Westminster Abbey, of which it was a cell. The two heraldic fountains flanking the cross indicate the Malvern waters. |
ROSS-ON-WYE TOWN COUNCIL (HERE) |
ARMS: Per fesse Gules and Vert on a Fesse wavy Argent between in chief two Leopards' Faces reversed jessant-de-Lys and in base a Fleur-de-Lys Or a Bar wavy Azure. Motto 'PORTA VAGAE'. |
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The fleur-de-lys and leopard's head devices are from the arms of the Diocese of Hereford and the white and blue wave represents the River Wye. Awaiting further information from Ross-on-Wye Town Council.
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STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN TOWN COUNCIL (WORCS) |
ARMS: Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure a representation of a Severn Trow Or on a Chief Sable a Cross Moline between two Bees volant Or. Motto 'DUM DEFLUAT AMNIS' - Till the river ceases to flow. Picture by R.Young, Stouport-on-Severn, 2008. |
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The motto is from Horace (Epistulae, 1, 2, 32) and is a reference to the town's riverside situation. No further information available. |
WELLINGTON TOWN COUNCIL (SALOP) |
ARMS: Argent fretty Gules a Lion rampant Sable on a Chief of the last a Castle of the first between two Fleurs-de-Lys Or. Motto 'DEO ADJUVANTE' - By the help of God. |
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The castle and the portcullis refer to Apley Castle, which since the fourteenth century has been in the possession of the Charlton family (now represented by the Meyrick family), from whose arms the lion was taken. The frets are from the arms of the old local families of Eyton and Cludde. The fleurs-de-lis are from the old Royal Arms in allusion to the fact that Wellington was the rendezvous of the Royalist forces in 1642, when King Charles I addressed his army here before moving to Shrewsbury. In 1644 Apley Castle and Wellington parish church were garrisoned by the Royalists, captured by the Parliamentary troops, and retaken by the Royalists. |
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