It’s quite possible that most people who treat themselves or their loved ones to their “one square foot of Scotland” don’t really take the blurb about being able to call themselves a Lord (corrupted and wholly incorrect form of Laird) or Lady all that seriously; it is quite certain that even if you did own one square foot of Scottish land you would not legally be considered a Laird … the very thought that you could is quite laughable. But the worrying thing is that some may actually believe that they are a Lord, that they do in fact own a piece of Scotland and what’s more they have a piece of paper proving it. I can not believe that this is so.
Ownership of such a small piece of land can’t legally be recorded in the Scottish Land Register so what are they actually purchasing? The land legally still belongs to the original owner and as far as I can see there is nothing to stop him, if he so wished, selling it all on to someone else.
My real worry is that those who purchase these “Lairdships” are funding the lifestyle of the vendor in return for a worthless promise.
I am in the process of producing new images for the King’s Vale Royal portion of the web site with a view to eventual publication; I certainly wouldn’t wish the original images to grace the pages of a book!
I’ve also decided to rename the project for the publication. Henceforth I shall be calling this little armorial The Kinderton Roll of Arms, or simply The Kinderton Roll. The Vale Royal of England was a book first published by Daniel King in 1656. Daniel was born in Chester and was a well known engraver. At one time, he was apprenticed as an heraldic painter to Randle Holmes, sometime deputy for a King of Arms. Daniel King was fortunate enough thanks to the generosity of his patron, Peter Venables Baron of Kinderton, to have been able to include the armorial bearings of some 520 Cheshire Gentlemen in his book. It is thought that the arms were recorded as being in use c1630.
A celebration outside Ludlow Magistrates Court House last week. Ludlow Court is thought to be the oldest surviving Magistrates court in the country - sadly it is to close this year!
Cheshire Heraldry is pleased to announce the imminent publication of CHESHIRE HERALDRY THE VISITATIONS OF 1533 TO 1580 A4 Hardback full colour gloss cover, 278 inner pages printed throughout in full colour with 350 armorial illustrations.
CHESHIRE HERALDRY THE VISITATIONS OF 1533 TO 1580
This volume features 350 colour illustrations of the armorial bearings recorded at the Heralds’ Visitations of Cheshire in the years 1533, 1566 and 1580 along with a fragment of the records of the Visitation of the City of Chester in 1591 as published in 1882 by the Harleian Society. The book published by the Harleian Society contains few illustrations and those that are included are in black and white.
Although the visitations contained a collection of pedigrees of families with the right to bear arms this work confines itself to their armorial bearings alone. The author has simply attempted to turn the written description of the arms (the blazon) into a coloured illustration for every relevant entry.
ISBN 978-0-9568157-0-5
Price £39.99 plus Postage & Packing
It is anticipated that the book, which will be available on line, will be ready for delivery from Wednesday 9th February.
I have a fondness for Scotland and an addiction for heraldry but this one, which arguably combines the two, just has to be the height of tourist tat.
Presently for sale on the Internet at a starting price of £3.99 (no bids at the time of writing) and described as Caledonia Heraldic Crested China Edinburgh ~ Bagpipes.
This is one that won’t find its way into my collection.
Tomorrow’s meeting of the Cheshire Heraldry Society will see Mike Cresswell give his talk entitled “An elephant evolves!”. Curiosity is getting this (Cheshire Heraldry) cat!
All meetings are held at Townley Street Schoolroom, Townley Street, Macclesfield, starting at 2.30 pm, (room opens at 2.00 pm) followed by refreshments. (Pay and Display car park 100 yds.)
You don’t have to be a member of the Society to attend and guests are always made welcome (but you do risk catching the heraldry bug).
My first post of the New Year reports two sales on eBay which may be of interest to armorists. The first is the sale of the Letters Patent of a grant from the College of Arms to Oswald Milne of Prestwich Lancashire which fell under the hammer for £335 (plus £11 post and packing) with interest from five bidders, the winner sniping a bid within the last few seconds to secure it.
Described by the seller as being a “Cased hand written and illuminated scroll, bestowing the right to bear a coat of arms. The box is embossed with Queen Victoria’s initials. The scroll has two wax seals in gilt metal cases. Beautifully done, and in excellent condition, with just a little wear to the box. Included is the original receipt for £85, 18 shillings, a huge sum at the time, 1867.”
The seller included a photograph of one of the seals which appears to be that of Sir Charles George Young (1795 to 1869) who served as Garter from 1842 until his death.
The second item of interest fell had a certain familiarity with it in that I have a feeling I have seen it (or another of the same) offered for sale before but can’t be entirely sure. Described by the seller as an “Antique HERALDIC Crested Brass Cased ~ WAX SEAL ~ 1800s” with the “remains of a silk ribbon to the back” and sitting in its own brass case it is an ornate heraldic crest believed to be c1800. The item was stated as having a discreet crack to it, but otherwise very good order.The seller professed to have no idea as to provenance but welcomed any input and felt that it must have value to have been cased and saved.
Two bidders fought hard over the period of the auction with the winner securing it for £29.99 (with £2.95 delivery).
My wife, Sandy, has just broken up from school and, as always for the Christmas season, she brings home with her copious amounts of Christmas cards and presents from both colleagues and pupils. One Christmas card in particular caught my eye this year and I reproduce it below for your (heraldic) enjoyment. To my eye (though not shared by Sandy!) here we have a reindeer wearing the tabard of a pursuivant. Clearly his master bears the arms Or, a mullet Gules.
I was talking to a friend on the telephone this morning and the subject of the arms and badge of the new Cheshire East Council cropped up. I have always maintained that the simple design of a garb encircled by an eastern crown for the badge was inspirational and I was saying so to my friend this morning. I was also musing that when I first saw the design I thought that it was somewhat familiar but couldn’t put my finger on it when he reminded me about the very early logo I used for the Cheshire Heraldry web site way back in 2004. The design I used back then had totally slipped my mind (it’s an age thing!) but, having been reminded, I checked (the image can still be seen by using the internet’s way back machine provided by web.archive.org - click here to see it) and now remember choosing a simple garb encircled by a crest coronet and choosing to break the tincture rules and thus claim it as a logo and avoid it being thought of as an unauthorised badge. If my reader will allow, I will indulge my pride (just this once) by proclaiming that not only do great minds think alike but perhaps on this occasion at least I can also claim to have got there first.
