Armorial of county councils of England

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This is a list of the coats of arms of various county councils (current and former) in England.

Contents

Background

Under heraldic law in England, arms are not granted to places as such, but only to the corporate bodies that govern them. Accordingly, although arms and devices were associated with counties from the seventeenth century onward, there were no official grants until the establishment of county councils in 1889.

History

First grants

The first grant was made to West Sussex County Council soon after its establishment in 1889. The cost of the grant was defrayed by the Duke of Norfolk, titular head of the College of Arms, who was also first chairman of the county council. Further grants were made over the years, the number greatly increasing after the passing of the Local Government Act 1929 when county councils gained extra powers. Following the Second World War the majority of non-armigerous county councils obtained grants. When Durham County Council received a grant of arms in 1961 (it had previously been using the arms of the Diocese of Durham) only Hampshire County Council was left without an official grant.

Changes in 1965

Changes to local government in 1965 meant that several arms became obsolete and new arms had to be granted to Greater London, Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely and Huntingdon and Peterborough.

Changes in 1974

Local government in England and Wales was completely reorganised in 1974, with all existing county councils abolished. In their place was established a system of metropolitan and non-metropolitan county councils. Some of the non-metropolitan counties were identical or very similar in area to the previous administrative counties, and in their case they could apply for the transfer of the arms of the previous county councils by Order in Council. In some other cases, where substantial alterations were made to the county council's area, the College of Arms granted arms very similar to the previous arms, with a number of changes introduced. In the metropolitan counties, and entirely new non-metropolitan counties such as Avon, Humberside and Cleveland; new arms had to be designed. The arms of two small county councils were transferred to Huntingdon and Rutland district councils.

Changes in 1986

The six metropolitan county councils (five of which had arms) and the Greater London Council were abolished in 1986 and their arms became obsolete.

Changes after 1996

By 1995 all the remaining non-metropolitan county councils were using official arms, the last being Dorset, to whom the predecessor Dorset County Council's arms were transferred on 24 February of that year. [1] From 1996 a piecemeal reform of local government meant the abolition of a number of county councils. It also recreated Worcestershire county council, who regained the use of the former county council arms. The unitary authority of Herefordshire, a county for ceremonial purposes, also gained the use of the old county council arms. Among the unitary authorities created was East Riding of Yorkshire. However this had a very different area to the pre 1974 East Riding and so was not allowed to take over the old arms. The council did obtain a grant of new arms. Rutland district became a unitary authority and ceremonial county, retaining the coat of arms that had been transferred from the previous county council.

Use of the arms

The arms were granted to the councils of the county, and not to the county in general. This means that they can only be used by the council itself, who cannot allow another body or individual the use of their arms. However, many county councils have an additional heraldic badge which they can license organisations associated with the county to use.

The accepted practice is that it is permissible to illustrate the arms of a county council subject to copyright of the illustrator. In this case they should be clearly labelled as the arms of the county council.

Current

Non-metropolitan county councils

There are 25 two-tier county councils remaining in England after a series of reforms.

CouncilImageGranted
Cambridgeshire County Council Arms of Cambridgeshire County Council.svg Created 1976
Derbyshire County Council Arms of Derbyshire County Council.svg Transferred 1974; Crest and supporters added 1976
Devon County Council Coat of Arms of Devon County Council.svg Transferred 1975
East Sussex County Council Arms of the East Sussex County Council.svg Created 1975
Essex County Council Arms of Essex County Council.svg Transferred 1974
Gloucestershire County Council Arms of Gloucestershire County Council.svg Transferred 1976
Hampshire County Council Coat of arms of Hampshire County Council, England.svg Created 1992 [2]
Hertfordshire County Council Arms of Hertfordshire County Council.svg Transferred 1974
Kent County Council Arms of Kent County Council.svg Transferred 1975
Lancashire County Council Arms of Lancashire County Council.svg Transferred 1974
Leicestershire County Council Arms of Leicestershire County Council.svg Transferred 1974
Lincolnshire County Council Arms of Lincolnshire County Council.svg Created 1977
Norfolk County Council Arms of Norfolk.svg Transferred 1974; Supporters added 1992
Nottinghamshire County Council Arms of Nottinghamshire County Council.svg Transferred 1977
Oxfordshire County Council Arms of Oxfordshire County Council.svg Created 1976
Staffordshire County Council Arms of Staffordshire County Council.svg Transferred 1975
Suffolk County Council Arms of Suffolk.svg 1978
Surrey County Council Surrey shield.svg Created 1974
Warwickshire County Council Arms of Warwickshire County Council.svg Transferred 1975
West Sussex County Council Arms of West Sussex County Council.svg Created 1975
Worcestershire County Council (created 1998) Arms of Worcestershire County Council.svg Transferred 1998

Transferred from county council to unitary authorities

CouncilImageGrantedNotes
Buckinghamshire Council The council agreed to apply for a new coat of arms from the College of Arms in November 2021. [3] County Council, became Unitary in 2020.
Bristol City Council Arms of Bristol City Council.svg Transferred 1974District Council, became Unitary in 1996.
Cornwall Council Arms of Cornwall Council.svg Transferred 1975County Council, became Unitary in 2009.
Cumberland Council Arms of Cumberland County Council.svg 1951 [lower-alpha 1] County Council abolished in 1974, revived Unitary in 2023.
Dorset Council Arms of Dorset County Council.svg Transferred 2019 [4] County Council, became Unitary in 2019. Crest (granted in 2009) not shown.
Durham County Council Arms of Durham County Council.svg 1974County Council, became Unitary in 2009.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council Arms of East Riding of Yorkshire Council.svg 1996County Council abolished in 1974, revived Unitary in 1996.
Herefordshire Council Arms of Herefordshire County Council.svg Transferred 1998County Council abolished in 1974, revived Unitary in 1998.
Isle of Wight Council Arms of Isle of Wight Council.svg Transferred 1975County Council, became Unitary in 1995.
Northumberland County Council Arms of Northumberland County Council.svg Transferred 1974County Council, became Unitary in 2009.
North Yorkshire Council Arms of North Yorkshire County Council.svg Created 1980 [lower-alpha 2] County Council, became Unitary in 2023.
Rutland County Council Arms of Rutland County Council.svg Transferred 1974District Council, became Unitary in 1997.
Shropshire Council Arms of Shropshire County Council.svg Transferred 1974County Council, became Unitary in 2009.
Somerset Council Arms of Somerset County Council.svg Transferred 1974; Crest and supporters added 2003 [lower-alpha 3] County Council, became Unitary in 2023.
Wiltshire Council Arms of Wiltshire County Council.svg Transferred 1976County Council, became Unitary in 2009.

Obsolete

County Councils (1889–1974)

CouncilImageGranted
Bedfordshire Arms of Bedfordshire County Council.svg 1951
Berkshire Arms of Berkshire County Council 1961-1974.svg 1947, supporters granted in 1961.
Buckinghamshire Arms of Buckinghamshire County Council.svg 1948
Cambridgeshire (abolished 1965) Arms of Cambridgeshire County Council 1914-1965.svg 1914
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely (created 1965) Arms of Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely County Council.svg 1965
Cheshire Arms of Cheshire County Council.svg 1938
Cornwall Arms of Cornwall Council.svg 1939
Cumberland Arms of Cumberland County Council.svg 1951
Derbyshire Arms of Derbyshire County Council 1937.svg 1937
Devon Arms of Devon County Council.svg 1926, supporters and crest granted 1962.
Dorset Arms of Dorset County Council.svg 1950
County Durham Arms of Durham County Council 1961-1974.svg 1961
Essex Arms of Essex County Council.svg 1932
Gloucestershire Arms of Gloucestershire County Council.svg 1935
Hampshire No Arms Granted
Herefordshire Arms of Herefordshire County Council.svg 1946
Hertfordshire Arms of Hertfordshire County Council.svg 1926
Huntingdonshire (abolished 1965) Coat of Arms of Huntingdonshire.svg 1937
Huntingdon and Peterborough (created 1965) Arms of Huntingdon and Peterborough County Council.svg 1965
Isle of Ely (abolished 1965) Arms of Isle of Ely County Council.svg 1931
Isle of Wight Arms of Isle of Wight Council.svg 1938
Kent Arms of Kent County Council.svg 1933
Lancashire Arms of Lancashire County Council.svg 1903
Leicestershire Arms of Leicestershire County Council.svg 1930
Lincolnshire, Parts of Holland Arms of Holland County Council.svg 1954
Lincolnshire, Parts of Kesteven Arms of Kesteven County Council.svg 1950
Lincolnshire, Parts of Lindsey Arms of Lindsey County Council.svg 1935
London (abolished 1965) Coat of Arms of London County Council.svg 1914
Middlesex (abolished 1965) Arms of Middlesex County Council.svg 1910
Norfolk Arms of Norfolk County Council 1904.svg 1904
Northamptonshire Arms of Northamptonshire County Council.svg 1939
Northumberland Arms of Northumberland County Council.svg 1951
Nottinghamshire Arms of Nottinghamshire County Council.svg 1937
Oxfordshire Arms of Oxfordshire County Council 1949-1976.svg 1949
Rutland Arms of Rutland County Council.svg 1950
Shropshire Arms of Shropshire County Council.svg 1896
Soke of Peterborough (abolished 1965) Arms of Soke of Peterborough County Council.svg 1950
Somerset Arms of Somerset County Council 1911.svg 1911
Staffordshire Arms of Staffordshire County Council.svg 1931
East Suffolk Arms of East Suffolk County Council.svg 1935
West Suffolk Arms of West Suffolk County Council.svg 1959
Surrey Arms of Surrey County Council 1934-1974.svg 1934
East Sussex Arms of East Sussex County Council 1937-1974.svg 1937
West Sussex Arms of the West Sussex County Council (1889-1975).svg 1889
Warwickshire Arms of Warwickshire County Council.svg 1931 [5]
Westmorland Arms of Westmorland County Council.svg 1926
Wiltshire Arms of Wiltshire County Council.svg 1937
Worcestershire Arms of Worcestershire County Council.svg 1947
Yorkshire, East Riding Arms of East Riding County Council.svg 1945
Yorkshire, North Riding Arms of North Riding County Council.svg 1928
Yorkshire, West Riding Arms of West Riding County Council.svg 1927

Greater London Council (1965–1986)

CouncilImageGranted
Greater London Council Arms of the Council of Greater London.svg 1965

Non-Metropolitan County Councils

CouncilImageGranted
Avon (abolished 1996) Arms of Avon County Council.svg 1976
Bedfordshire (abolished 2009) Arms of Bedfordshire County Council.svg Transferred 1975
Berkshire (abolished 1998) Arms of Berkshire County Council 1974-1998.svg New Arms 1974
Cheshire (abolished 2009) Arms of Cheshire County Council.svg Transferred 1976
Cleveland (abolished 1996) Arms of Cleveland County Council.svg 1974
Cumbria (abolished 2023) Arms of Cumbria County Council.svg Created 1974
Dorset Arms of Dorset County Council.svg Transferred 1995. Crest granted 2009 (not shown) [1]
Hereford and Worcester (abolished 1998) Arms of Hereford and Worcester County Council.svg 1978
Humberside (abolished 1996) Arms of Humberside County Council.svg 1976
Northamptonshire (abolished 2021) Arms of Northamptonshire County Council.svg Transferred 1975

Metropolitan County Councils (1974–1986)

CouncilImageGrantedArticle
Greater Manchester Arms of the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County Council.svg 1974 Coat of arms of Greater Manchester
Merseyside

Arms of the Merseyside Metropolitan County Council.svg

South Yorkshire Arms of South Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council.svg 1978
Tyne and Wear No Arms Granted
West Midlands Arms of West Midlands Metropolitan County Council.svg
West Yorkshire Arms of West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council.svg 1975 Coat of arms of West Yorkshire

See also

Sources

Notes

  1. Tentative as to if the 2023-district will adopt the old arms
  2. Tentative as to if the 2023-district will adopt the old arms
  3. Tentative as to if the 2023-district will adopt the old arms

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References

  1. 1 2 "Civic Functions - Armorial Bearings and Chains of Office of Sovereign Councils, and future requirement for Dorset Council" (PDF). Dorset Shadow Council. 14 January 2019. p. 8. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  2. "Hampshire Now - Hampshire history: The Hampshire County Council Coat of Arms". Archived from the original on 2014-01-12. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  3. "Coat of Arms for Buckinghamshire Council" (PDF). Buckinghamshire Council. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  4. "No. 62698". The London Gazette . 28 June 2019. p. 1119.
  5. "CIVIC HERALDRY OF ENGLAND AND WALES-WARWICKSHIRE".
  6. "Statutory Instrument 1997 No. 2618". Archived from the original on 2008-01-03. Retrieved 2010-09-25.