The Adderley Monument

Following on from my earlier report of my perambulations around Leek, the town of my birth, on Monday the 20th July last, I reported that I managed to take a look inside the Church of St. Edward the Confessor (open for viewing and private prayer on Mondays and Fridays). 

Immediately inside the porch, on the left, but difficult to photograph as it is obscured by the large and heavy entrance door when open, is The Adderley Monument. 

I'm afraid that a larger image really wouldn't help as I had to bend around the open door and attempt a "wild" shot of a photograph so it isn't really very good at all however, the arms are as follows:

1st & 4th Adderley, quartering 2nd Bowyer and 3rd Bagnall. On a shield of pretence 1st, Arderne, 2nd Mills, 3rd Cotton, 4th Sleigh.

Crest: Adderley (on a chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a stork Argent.)

1) Adderley (of Hame Hall): Argent, on a bend Azure three mascles of the field.

2) Bowyer (Knypersley Co. Stafford): Argent, a lion rampant between three crosses crosslet  fitchee Gules. 

3) Bagnall: Sable, within an orle of martlets Argent, an inescutcheon Ermine charged with a leopards face Gules. (N.B.) I need to double check this as these arms could have been Per saltire Or and Ermine a lion rampant Azure (in which case the arms are for Bagnall of Broseley).

Note to self: I need to return and take notes for this one as the photograph really is no good!  

  

It doesn't wash (well not with me anyway)!

It  has come to my attention that a letter, from Dr, Jose Herrera, Malta's minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government is being sent to those who are making enquiries about the status of the so called Chief Herald of Arms of Malta.

This letter is of course a complete nonsense. The very Act of Parliament which created Heritage Malta demands that the Ministry of Culture presents a written paper to Parliament, so that Parliament can decide when changes such as this are made. Of course it is a matter for a Sovereign State to decide how it appoints a Chief Herald but how does a Sovereign State decide such matters - by a decision of or an Act of Parliament. It is preposterous for any Minister, let alone a Minister of Culture, to pretend to have assumed the powers of State without any authority of Parliament. Section 10 of the Act of Parliament which created Heritage Malta does not allow the Minister of Culture any such delegated powers. That is the crux of the matter. 

The full details of my forensic examination of the FAQs is available here: Examination into the claims of the "Chief Herald of Malta".

I await the findings of the Chief Investigator.

Leek's Civic Heraldry (and the finest garden gate in England)

On Monday I had time to spend the best part of the day, camera in hand, walking the streets of the town of my birth, Leek, in the Staffordshire Moorlands, and had the opportunity to spend some time visiting St. Edwards Church, where I was baptised a lifetime ago. This post however, is a continuation of my Civic tributes. The Town Council Offices are on Stockwell Street and the Town's arms are proudly displayed on the swinging sign outside.

Arms : Azure a Saltire patonce between in chief a Stafford Knot in fesse two Suns and in base a Garb all Or. Crest : Out of a Mural Crown Or charged with three Mulberry Leaves proper a Mount of Heather thereon a Moorcock also proper resting the dexter claw on a Leek small-weave Shuttle Gold threaded Gules.  Motto: 'ARTE FAVENTE NIL DESPERANDUM'- Our skill assisting us, we have no cause for despair.

The arms were officially granted on May 7, 1956 to Leek Urban District Council but are now used by Leek Town Council.

The basic colours of the arms are gold on a blue ground, the colours of the Earldom of Chester, Dieulacrcsse Abbey, the Kingdom of Mercia and St. Edward. The cross, is that of St. Edward, patron saint of the parish, here it is set X-wise to recall the golden saltire on blue from the arms traditionally associated with the Saxon earldom and kingdom of Mercia, in which Leek held an important place under Earl Ælfgar. The Stafford Knot, like that in the arms of the County Council, indicates the town's importance in North Staffordshire. The wheat sheaf, is from the arms of the Earls of Chester, from whom the manor of Leek was held by the monks of Dieulacresse Abbey, founded in 1214 by Ranulph, Earl of Chester. The two suns recall the well-known Leek phenomenon of the "double sunset" and also refer to those in the arms of the family of Nicholson who have been so closely connected with Leek's modern development.

The mural crown is a symbol of local government and recalls Leek's traditional title of "Capital of the Moorlands". The mulberry leaves stand for the silk industry and the mound of heather and moorcock refer, to the moorlands, and also to the local archaeological feature, Cock Low. The special type of small-weave shuttle is characteristic of the local Industry.

The motto is that which was in use before the arms were granted.

On February 27, 2008, there was a rather silly and ill informed report in the leek Post & Times on the crest and I have written about this elsewhere in this weblog. Council in flap over Town Crest Fowl Up!

The town has quite a few rather wonderful heraldic seats, a rather innovative way of reflecting the Town's arms. This one is on the elevated section on the junction of Mill Street and West Street.

Whilst on my wee tour, I really couldn't resist taking a photo of what must have a claim to be the finest garden gate in the whole of England. It's not heraldry but who could resist it?   

The entrance gate to Greystones, 23 Stockwell Street, Leek. Greystones is a C.17 grade 2 Listed Building. William Morris stayed here 1875-1878.

A demi-dragon, collared, holding a cross crosslet fitchee

This one has eluded me for years. It is a a crest featured above the front door of a house, on 30 Stockwell Street Leek, Staffordshire, opposite the old Cottage Hospital.

I visited Leek on Monday to take the photo and it looks to me to be a demi-dragon, collared, holding a cross crosslet fitchee. His wings appear to be charged with a number of smaller charges which I can’t make out. The Motto “Pro Cruce” is Latin and (roughly) translates as For the Cross. Any information gratefully appreciated. (I should say that although it looks as though it may be an original feature, there is always the possibility that it is a piece of architectural salvage added to the building at a later date in which case, it may have nothing to do with the history of the house itself!)

My first thought was that the motto could possibly be a pun on Crusso/Cruso, a notable local family, however, the only listed Crusso/Cruso coat of arms (Burke's General Armory) has a crest of a cross forme Or; there is no entry for Crusso/Cruso in the British Dictionary of Arms. 

Reading Blue Coat School has a similar crest (but not the same).

Bookplate - James Robinson Pease

Bookplate of James Robinson Pease  born  about 1825  died 1st Qtr 1888  Scarborough Yorkshire

1881 Census: Westwood House, Beverley St Mary, Yorkshire.

Birthplace: Hessle, Yorkshire, England. Husband of Louisa Frances Barkworth, Father of Harold Robinson Pease.

Pease (HesslewoodHouse Co. York): Vert, a chevron between three stags trippant Or, in the centre chief point a bezant, on a chief per fesse Gules and Argent, an eagle displayed counterchanged. Crest: An eagle's head erased Argent holding in the beak Or, a peascod Vert. Motto: Confide Recte Agens.

This one had gone AWOL from my collection but today I had occasion to use my Fairbairn's and out it slipped! I'm pleased it's turned up; I so seldom find a use for Fairbairn's that it might have remained missing for an awful long time.

Some details of the family can be found here: The Pease Family Homes

A jolly jaunty chapeau

In a recent Facebook thread, an image of the the arms of Sir Algar Howard, Garter King of Arms (1944-1950) was posted (I believe that the image might be one SodaCan made for Wiki) but as usual, it sent me off at a tangent. 

The first thing that came to my mind was that 'twould be a better rendition if the helm followed the more modern practice of respecting the orientation of the crest - otherwise, it looks as though the chapeau is being worn at a very jaunty angle! But, this crest presents a problem anyway because if you move the position of the helm the lion would , in theory, then be facing to the wearers left shoulder. It would in fact be far better if the chapeau were turned around to be worn properly with the front of the chapeau at the front of the helmet thus leaving the lion to stand sideways but still face front. 

Opiniones meae, facta omnibus !

Somerset Heraldry Society

Like most (surviving) Societies, the Somerset Heraldry Society has placed all physical meetings on hold during the "lock down" however, it is well worth visiting their website if only to take a look at some of their newsletters which they have kindly made available online. 

The latest newsletter can be found here: Somerset Dragon number 45 (I think there's a bit missing on page 5 but never mind).

A full list of their journals can be found here: Here be Dragons