TWEED, TYNE AND TEES AREA |
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The Tweed, Tyne and Tees Area is coterminious with the North East England Government Office Region. I have named it after the rivers Tweed, Tyne and Tees. All the councils within the area are now unitary authorities. It includes the historic counties of Northumberland, Durham and part of the North Riding of Yorkhire. In terms of former administrative counties it includes Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and Cleveland. In terms of ceremonial counties is includes Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and North Yorkshire (that area south of the River Tees).
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COUNTY DURHAM COUNCIL (UA) |
ARMS: Azure Or a Cross Or square pierced of the field between four Lions rampant Argent each ducally crowned Gold and grasping in the dexter claw a Sword in bend sinister proper pommel and hilt also Gold as many Lozenges Sable in the fess point a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper; the Shield ensigned with a Mural Crown Gold. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. Granted 10th May 1974. |
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The Arms are based on those of the former County Council granted in 1961. Before that date the Council had used the Arms of the See of Durham because the Council could be said to have succeeded, in some measure, to the palatinate juristiction formerly enjoyed by the palatine Bishops of Durham. In order to stress this succession the lions are now depicted grasping swords and wearing coronets, used by the Bishops in conjunction with the mitre. As a further mark of difference the cross was charged with five black diamonds, which are generally used to represent coal and the industries dependent upon it. In 1974 the former County's area of juristiction was greatly altered, principally by the addition of an area of the North Riding of Yorkshire. In order to recognise this alteration the central lozenge in the former Arms has been replaced by a white rose. |
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL (UA) |
ARMS: Paly of eight Or and Gules per fesse embattled all counterchanged. Motto 'NORTHUMBERLAND'. |
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The arms are based on the arms attributed by the medieval heralds to the ancient Kingdom of Bernicia - Paly of eight gold and gules. Bernicia formed the northern part of the present County and its arms may have been suggested by the Venerable Bede's reference to 'a banner made of gold and purple' which was hung over the tomb of St. Oswald, the first Christian King of Northumbria. The embattled division was added to suggests Hadrian's Wall and Northumberland's position as a Border county. |
DARLINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) (DURHAM) |
ARMS: Per pale Azure and Gules on a Chevron Argent between in chief a representation of St. Cuthbert's Cross proper and a Shorthorn Bull's Head caboshed and in base a Garb Or enfiled by a Circlet of Steel proper a Chevronel wavy Azure on a Chief Argent a representation of the Steam Engine "Locomotion" and a Tender proper. Motto 'OPTIMA PETAMUS' - Let us seek the best. |
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The steam engine recalls the Stockton and Darlington Railway's first steam engine "Locomotion", which dates from 1825. The St. Cuthberts cross commemorates the legend of the monks of Lindisfarne fleeing the Danish invaders, who carried with them the body of the Saint and eventually came to Darlington. On the spot where the body lay an early Saxon Church was built, hence the dedication of the parish church. Both the engine and the cross featured in the arms of the County Borough of Darlington. The bull's head represents Darlington's history as a market town, and the pioneering experiments in breeding shorthorn cattle, which took place in the area. The wavy chevron, the wheatsheaf and the circlet of steel, refer to the River Tess, agriculture and local industry. All these emlems are derived from the arms of the Darlington RDC. |
GATESHEAD METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) (TYNE AND WEAR) |
ARMS: Or a Chief Azure overall five Pallets counterchanged. Motto 'IN UNITY PROGRESS'. The Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead was formed by the amalgamation of the former County Borough of Gateshead, the Blaydon Urban District, the Felling Urban District, the Ryton Urban District, the Whickham Urban District and part of the Chester-le-Street Rural District. |
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The blue and gold pallets, form a pictograph of a gate (or portcullis), which when combined with helm (or head), represent the name Gateshead. The portcullis was a feature in the arms and crest of the former County Borough of Gateshead. |
MIDDLESBROUGH BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) (N YORKS) |
*ARMS: Argent a Lion rampant Azure on a Chief Sable an Estoile between two Ships Or sails Argent. Motto 'ERIMUS' - We shall be. Picture thanks to The Heraldry Society. |
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The design is largely based on the arms of the former County Borough of Middlesbrough. The blue lion is from the arms of the Brus family, who after the Norman Conquest were given many Lordships in this area. Robert de Brus of Skelton founded a priory where Middlesbrough now stands in the twelfth century. The ships and the anchor are for shipbuilding and maritime trade. The star is to commemorate Captain James Cook, who was born at Marton. Captain Cook's arms granted several years after his death show a globe of the world between two pole stars, and the College of Arms gave special consent to the incorporation of part of those arms in the new Council arms because of Middlesbrough's strong link with the famous circum-navigator. |
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE CITY COUNCIL (UA) (TYNE AND WEAR) |
ARMS: Gules three Castles triple towered Argent. Motto 'FORTITER DEFENDIT TRIUMPHANS' - Triumphing by brave defence The City of Newcastle upon Tyne was formed by the amalgamation of the former City and County Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, the Gosforth Urban District, the Newburn Urban District and part of the Castle Ward Rural District. |
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The castle motif goes back to earliest times for originally the town took its name from the "New Castle" built by order of Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror, in 1080 and a castle was depicted on the twelfth century common seal. The earliest extant example of the three silver castles on a red shield, dating from about 1400, is in the window on the north side of the chancel in St. John's church. |
REDCAR AND CLEVELAND BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) (N YORKS) |
ARMS: Azure in front of two Pick-Axes in saltire heads upwards a representation of the Prison Gate as appears on the Seal of the Wapentake of Langbaurgh proper in chief six Fleur-de-Lys Or. Motto 'UNITED WE ENDEAVOUR'. The Borough of Redcar and Cleveland was formed (as the Borough of Langbaurgh-on-Tees) by the amalgamation of the part of the County Borough of Teeside, the Guisborough Urban District, the Loftus Urban District, the Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea Urban District and the Skelton and Brotton Urban District. |
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The six fleurs-de-lis represent the six former districts united to form a new district and the prison gate was used on the Great Seal of the original Wapentake of Langbaurgh. A wapentake was an old division of the North Riding of Yorkshire. The crossed pickaxes depict the association of the East Cleveland area with the former ironstone mining industry. |
SOUTH TYNESIDE METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) (TYNE AND WEAR) |
*ARMS: Vert an open Book proper bound and clasped between three Escutcheons Or a Chief wavy barry wavy of four Azure ans Argent. Motto 'ALWAYS READY'. The Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside was formed by the amalgamation of the County Borough of South Shields, the Borough of Jarrow, the Boldon Urban District and the Hebburn Urban District. |
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The small gold shields of a green background provide a play on the name 'South Shields'. The open book has a double purpose, alluding not only to the Boldon Buke, seen in the crest of the Boldon UDC, but also to Bede's Ecclesiastical History, from the arms of the Borough of Jarrow. The wavy blue and white chief represent the River Tyne, provides maritime symbolism and therefore indicate the seafaring traditions of the Borough. |
STOCKTON-ON-TEES BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) (DURHAM/N YORKS) |
ARMS: Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure overall a Chevron Pean. Motto 'FORWARD AS ONE'. The Borough of Stockton-on-Tees was formed from part of the County Borough of Teesside, part of the Stockton Rural District and part of the Stokesley Rural District. The part of the County Borough of Teesside included had formerly been the former Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, the Borough of Thornaby-on-Tees and the Billingham Urban District. |
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The background of six white and blue waves represents the River Tees, over which a chevron with five golden tails is placed to represent the Corporate identity of the five former areas which came together to make up the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees. |
SUNDERLAND CITY COUNCIL (UA) (TYNE AND WEAR) |
ARMS: Azure between in chief and in base a Bar wavy Argent charged with a like Barrulet Azure a Crown flory Or the circlet charged with four Saltires couped Gules. Motto 'NIL DESPERANDUM AUSPICE DEO' - With God as our leader there is no cause for despair. The City of Sunderland was formed (as the Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland) by the amalgamation of the County Borough of Sunderland, the Hetton Urban District, the Houghton-le-Spring Urban District, the Washington Urban District, part of the Chester-le-Street Rural District and part of the Easington Rural District. Picture and information thanks to Garry Dent. |
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These replaced the former arms of the Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland, with the elevation to city status in 1992, in the fortieth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign. |
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BARNARD CASTLE TOWN COUNCIL (DURHAM) |
ARMS: Gules in chief a Castle and in base a Cross formy the uppermost limb between a Crescent and an Estoile of seven rays all within an Orle Argent. Motto 'NEC TEMERE NEC TIMIDE' - Neither rashly nor timidly. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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No further imformation currently available. |
GREAT AYCLIFFE TOWN COUNCIL (DURHAM) |
ARMS: Gules on a Chevron Argent between three Garbs Or banded Vert a Grenade Sable fired proper all within a Bordure Or. Motto 'NON MINIMA SED MAXIMA PETIMUS' - Not the least but the greatest we seek.? Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The gold border represents the bounderies of the designated site of the new town of Newton Aycliffe and the white chevron alludes to the bridge over St. Cuthbert's Way linking the town with Aycliffe Trading Estate. The sheaves of corn are taken from the arms of the Eden Family, of whose Estate the site of the new town formed a part, and the grenade represents the Royal Ordnance Factory out of which the Trading Estate was converted. |
HEXHAM TOWN COUNCIL (NORTHUMBERLAND) |
ARMS: Vert a Saltire Argent between in chief an Ancient Crown in base a Mitre and in fess two Garbs Or a Chief wavy barry wavy of six Azure and of the second. Granted 31st August 1953, to the Hexham Urban District Council. |
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The wavy blue and white chief refers to the River Tyne, that forms the town's northern boundary. The saltite refers to the dedication of Hexham Abbey, that since the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537, has been the parish church of Hexham. The green field and sheaves refer to agriculture and the mitre to the former Bishopric of Hexham. |
MORPETH TOWN COUNCIL (NORTHUMBERLAND) |
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. |
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The shield consists of a representation of the castle of the Norman family of De Merlay placed upon their arms. This is clearly stated in the grant by Norroy King-of-Arms |
SALTBURN, MARSKE AND NEW MARSKE PARISH COUNCIL (N YORKS) |
ARMS: Azure rising from Waves a Seagull affrontee proper on a Chief Or three Tridents' Heads Gules. Motto 'SURGIMUS' - We rise. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The emblems refer to the district's seafaring interests and associations, while the gull indicates its aspirations, also expressed in the motto. The three tridents represent Saltburn, Marske, and New Marske, partners in the district, each with its place in the shield. |
SPENNYMOOR TOWN COUNCIL (DURHAM) |
ARMS: Quarterly Gules and Sable a Cross Or charged with ten Gouttes de Sang in the first and fourth quarters a Lion rampant Argent and in the second and third quarters a Fleurs-de-Lys Gold. Motto 'SPE NEMO RUET' - With hope nobody shall fail. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
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The red and black quarters symbolise furnaces and coal workings. The lions and fleurs-de-lys are derived from the arms of the Attwoods and Coulsons, the two principal families responsible for the rise of Spennymoor. The gold cross is from the arms of the Durham County Council, and the blood-red drops recalls the combat at Butcher's Race which played a great part in the Battle of Neville's Cross. |
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