The enfield is a fictitious creature sometimes used in heraldry.
The enfield is a fictitious creature sometimes used in heraldry.
The enfield has the head of a fox, forelegs like an eagle's talons, the chest of a greyhound, the body of a lion, and the hindquarters and tail of a wolf. It is occasionally portrayed with wings. [1] [2]
The earliest known example of the enfield is the crest of the Ó Cellaigh clan of Ireland. Ó Cellaigh of Uí Maine are the most documented O'Kelly sept in early Irish history and annals. The enfield appears in Leabhar Ua Maine .
The ancient tradition among the O'Kellys is that they have borne this fabulous animal since the days of King Tadhg Mór Ua Cellaigh who fell "fighting like a wolf dog" on the side of the High King of Ireland, Brian Boru, at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. When Tadhg Mor fell this mythical beast issued from the nearby sea to protect the dead body of the chief until it was retrieved for proper burial by his kinsmen.
The animal is sculptured on many old (c. 1375–1650) tombstones of the O'Kelly family in the Abbey of Kilconnell (founded ca. 1353 by King William Buidhe Ó Cellaigh), and in the old church of Cloonkeen.
In 1859, an excavation project found a bronze 15th century O'Kelly seal 20 ft deep in a bog, prompting considerable research on the origins of the O'Kelly enfield on the seal:
I have searched in several works on heraldry for a description of the enfield, but without success. It does not appear to be a cognizance of much in use, and it does not appear to be found in Gwillam's "Display of Heraldry" folio: not even in Cap 26 of that book, which chapter treats solely of fictitious creatures, supposed to be compounded of different kinds and natures, such as Griffons, Wiverns, dragons, cockatrices, harpies, mermaids. Neither is the term enfield given or explained in Crossley's "Signification of things borne in Heraldry". To my gifted friend, Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms, I, however am indebted for the following definition of this composite fabulous creature, viz. :— "The Enfield is a heraldic animal, having the head of a fox, the breast feathered as an eagle's, the foreclaws also of an eagle; the remainder of the body that of a wolf." It follows from such description that the enfield, being compounded of the fox, eagle, and wolf, indicated that he, by whom it was borne, was reputed to possess the subtlety and cunning of the first named beast; the magnanimity and fortitude, with the honour, labor, industry, and diligence, in great manners, of the eagle; and the fierceness of the wolf. [1]
Williams (1989) suggests that the enfield on the crest of the O'Kelly's is derived from the onchú. [3]
The beast was on the coat of arms of the Municipal Borough of Enfield, which was amalgamated with the Municipal Borough of Edmonton and the Municipal Borough of Southgate to form the London Borough of Enfield. It is unclear whether the beast has any historic connection with the town, but it still makes a striking example of canting arms. It is used on the logo and the modern coat of arms of the London Borough of Enfield and as an emblem by some organisations there: for example, on the badges of Enfield County School, Chace Community School, Enfield Ignatians R.F.C. and of the football clubs Enfield (1893) F.C. and Enfield Town F.C., as well as Oneida FC.
In Australia, it was used in the crest of the former City of Enfield, South Australia (which was named after the London borough), and is still used by the Enfield Brass Band. [4] It is also used as the centrepiece of the squadron crest of 38 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force, in Queensland.
Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings, as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch of heraldry, concerns the design and transmission of the heraldic achievement. The achievement, or armorial bearings usually includes a coat of arms on a shield, helmet and crest, together with any accompanying devices, such as supporters, badges, heraldic banners and mottoes.
In heraldry, supporters, sometimes referred to as attendants, are figures or objects usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up.
The wyvern is a type of mythical dragon with two legs, two wings, and often a pointed tail which is said to be a venomous stinger.
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon (shield). That may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object, building, or other device. In French blazon, the ordinaries are called pièces, and other charges are called meubles.
Tadhg, commonly anglicized as "Taig" or "Teague", is an Irish and Scottish Gaelic masculine name that was very common when the Goidelic languages predominated, to the extent that it is a synecdoche for Irish-speaking man. The name signifies "poet" or "philosopher". This was also the name of many Gaelic Irish kings from the 10th to the 16th centuries, particularly in Connacht and Munster. Tadhg is most common in southwest Ireland, particularly in County Cork and County Kerry. The name has had a surge in popularity in the early 21st century; As of 2000 it was the 92nd most common name for baby boys in Ireland, according to the Central Statistics Office, rising to 69th by 2005. By 2022, it had risen to the 7th most common name for newly registered male births.
Uí Maine was the name of a kingdom situated in south Connacht, consisting of all of County Galway east of Athenry, all of southern and central County Roscommon.
Uxbridge was a local government district in north west Middlesex, England, from 1849 to 1965, seated in the town of Uxbridge.
The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises courage, nobility, royalty, strength, stateliness and valour, because historically the lion has been regarded as the "king of beasts". The lion also carries Judeo-Christian symbolism. The Lion of Judah stands in the coat of arms of Jerusalem. Similar-looking lions can be found elsewhere, such as in the coat of arms of the Swedish royal House of Bjelbo, from there in turn derived into the coat of arms of Finland, formerly belonging to Sweden.
The alphyn is a rare heraldic creature. It is much like a heraldic tyger, but stockier and with tufts of hair covering its body, and also has a thick mane and long thin tongue. Another notable characteristic is its knotted tail, reminiscent of Celtic design and similar to that of the griffin. Sometimes it is depicted as having an eagle's or dragon's talons on its forelegs, other times they are cloven, like a goat's. Occasionally all four feet are depicted as having the claws of a lion. In English heraldry, the alphyn was used as a heraldic badge of the Lords de la Warr, and also appeared on the guidon held by the knight in the Milleflour Tapestry in Somerset.
The wild boar and boar's head are common charges in heraldry.
The wolf has been widely used in many forms in heraldry during the Middle Ages. Though commonly reviled as a livestock predator and man-eater, the wolf was also considered a noble and courageous animal, and frequently appeared on the arms and crests of numerous noble families. It typically symbolised the rewards of perseverance in long sieges or hard industry.
In heraldry, the term attitude describes the position in which a figure is emblazoned as a charge, a supporter, or as a crest. The attitude of a heraldic figure always precedes any reference to the tincture of the figure and its parts. Some attitudes apply only to predatory beasts, exemplified by the beast most usual to heraldry – the heraldic lion; other terms apply to docile animals, such as the doe, usually emblazoned as a "hind".
The royal standards of England were narrow, tapering swallow-tailed heraldic flags, of considerable length, used mainly for mustering troops in battle, in pageants and at funerals, by the monarchs of England. In high favour during the Tudor period, the Royal English Standard was a flag that was of a separate design and purpose to the Royal Banner. It featured St George's Cross at its head, followed by a number of heraldic devices, a supporter, badges or crests, with a motto—but it did not bear a coat of arms. The Royal Standard changed its composition frequently from reign to reign, but retained the motto Dieu et mon droit, meaning God and my right; which was divided into two bands: Dieu et mon and Droyt.
English heraldry is the form of coats of arms and other heraldic bearings and insignia used in England. It lies within the so-called Gallo-British tradition. Coats of arms in England are regulated and granted to individuals by the English kings of arms of the College of Arms. An individual's arms may also be borne 'by courtesy' by members of the holder's nuclear family, subject to a system of cadency marks, to differentiate those displays from the arms of the original holder. The English heraldic style is exemplified in the arms of British royalty, and is reflected in the civic arms of cities and towns, as well as the noble arms of individuals in England. Royal orders in England, such as the Order of the Garter, also maintain notable heraldic bearings.
Tadhg Mór Ua Cellaigh, 36th King of Uí Maine and 1st Chief of the Name.
Conchobar Maenmaige Ua Cellaigh, 40th King of Uí Maine and 7th Chief of the Name, died 1180.
The heads of humans and other animals are frequently occurring charges in heraldry. The blazon, or heraldic description, usually states whether an animal's head is couped, erased, or cabossed. Human heads are often described in much greater detail, though some of these are identified by name with little or no further description.
The coat of arms of the London Borough of Enfield is the official heraldic arms of the London Borough of Enfield, granted on 15 August 1966.
Tyger, also known as heraldic tiger or tygre, is an imaginary beast used as a charge in heraldry.
An onchú is a mythical Irish animal. It is listed in the 12th Century 'Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib amongst the venomous beasts. A noted onchú is mentioned in Cathréim Cellaig. It once terrorised the land between Loch Con and Loch Cuilin. The hero Muiredach chased it into a lake and killed it after it had killed several of his party. A suggested, but uncertain, etymology of its name is that on is water and cú is dog and thus water-dog. It has been used as a heraldic device including on the battle flag of the Irish in 1595. Williams (1989) suggests that the enfield on the crest of the O'Kelly's is derived from the onchú.
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