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 The Stafford badge | |
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The Stafford knot, more commonly known as the Staffordshire knot, is a distinctive three-looped knot that is the traditional symbol of the English county of Staffordshire and of its county town, Stafford. It is a particular representation of the simple overhand knot, the most basic knot of all. [1] [2]
One legend of its origin, generally considered mythical, is that three convicted criminals who had committed a crime together were due to be executed in Stafford gaol. There was argument over who should be hanged first but the hangman solved the problem by devising this knot and hanging the three simultaneously. [1] The knot can be seen on a 4-foot-high (1.2 m) carved Anglo-Saxon cross in a churchyard in Stoke-upon-Trent, giving its name as the Staffordshire Knot and also on a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon object from the Staffordshire hoard. [3] This strongly suggests it pre-dates the Norman and medieval period, being probably either a heraldic symbol of early Mercia or a Celtic Christian symbol brought to Staffordshire by missionary monks from Lindisfarne.
The earliest known appearance of the knot in association with the Stafford family was on the 15th-century seal of Lady Joan de Stafford, Lady Wake (daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford), who adapted the Wake knot for her use. The seal, on which four knots appear tied on a string around her coat of arms, is now in the British Museum. [4] [5] After Lady Wake died childless in 1443, her nephew Humphrey de Stafford, 6th Earl of Stafford inherited her personal property. Humphrey, who was made the Duke of Buckingham the following year, incorporated his aunt's adaptation of the Wake knot as a cordon around his seal, although he used three knots and not four. [4]
The knot appears on a drawing of the standard of Sir Henry de Stafford, which was flown c. 1475. In a visitation of Stafford in 1583, the town's arms were recorded for the first time as or a chevron gules, a Stafford knot argent. These arms, which represent the traditional Stafford arms with the addition of the knot, is still the flag of Staffordshire (albeit with the knot changed from white to gold). [4] [1] [6]
Future earls of Stafford retained the knot for use on heraldic badges, although the exact date of use is unknown. Early heraldic badges are poorly recorded, however, and many had multiple badges. In 1720, the Earl of Stafford used 18 badges, including the Stafford knot, all enclosed in a circle of Stafford knots. [2] [4] The design closely matches the early design of the pretzel, which was made to represent arms crossed in prayer. In the 19th century, it became a symbol of Staffordshire pottery. [7] This "Staffordshire knot" was also used as a surgical suture in the 19th century. It was discarded by some as too dangerous, as the knot could slip if not tied correctly, and indeed, its use led to multiple deaths by haemorrhage. [8] [9]
The knot appears prominently on the flag of the historic county of Staffordshire, as well as on the banner of Staffordshire County Council. The motto of the county council — "the knot unites" — refers to the Stafford knot. It also appears on the coat of arms of the Borough of Stafford. [1] The knot appears on the logos of both Staffordshire University and Keele University, as well as on many school badges. Stoke-on-Trent based professional football team Port Vale use the knot on their club badge, as do fellow Staffordshire clubs Chasetown, Hanley Town, Hednesford Town, Lichfield City, Newcastle Town, Tamworth and Stafford Rangers.
The Stafford knot was the badge of the 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot in which Sir Thomas Brisbane entered the British Army as an Ensign in 1789 – and thus the eponymous city of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, has the Stafford knot on its arms. The knot formed part of the insignia of the North Staffordshire Regiment, South Staffordshire Regiment, Staffordshire Regiment and currently is the arm badge of the Mercian Regiment. It is also used as the badge of the Staffordshire Police force and Staffordshire fire and rescue service. Staffordshire wing of the Air Training Corps also uses the knot on its crest.
Also used as a pin/lapel badge by members of Freemasonry under the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire.
The North Staffordshire Railway, an independent railway company in the county from 1845 until the compulsory grouping of the railways in 1923, was colloquially referred to as The Knotty after the knot. The knot symbol appeared in the railway company's badge. The Smiler, [10] a roller coaster at Alton Towers, has a combined section of track known as the "Stafford/Staffordshire Knot", consisting of a cobra roll entwined with a batwing. It is given this nickname due to the resemblance to the original knot shape.
In an article published in the Birmingham Evening Mail on 1 June 1965, journalist Roy Smith described plans for the Gravelly Hill Interchange as "like a cross between a plate of spaghetti and an unsuccessful attempt at a Staffordshire knot", with the headline above the article on the newspaper's front page, written by sub-editor Alan Eaglesfield, reading "Spaghetti Junction". [11] [12] [13]
The overhand knot is one of the most fundamental knots, and it forms the basis of many others, including the simple noose, overhand loop, angler's loop, reef knot, fisherman's knot, half hitch, and water knot. The overhand knot is a stopper, especially when used alone, and hence it is very secure, to the point of jamming badly. It should be used if the knot is intended to be permanent. It is often used to prevent the end of a rope from unraveling. An overhand knot becomes a trefoil knot, a true knot in the mathematical sense, by joining the ends. It can also be adjusted, faired, or mis-tied as a half hitch.
Mercia was one of the three main Anglic kingdoms founded after Sub-Roman Britain was settled by Anglo-Saxons in an era called the Heptarchy. It was centred on the River Trent and its tributaries, in a region now known as the Midlands of England.
Staffordshire is a landlocked ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the south-east, the West Midlands county and Worcestershire to the south, and Shropshire to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the county town is Stafford.
The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys, is a common heraldic charge in the shape of a lily. Most notably, the fleur-de-lis is depicted on the traditional coat of arms of France that was used from the High Middle Ages until the French Revolution in 1792, and then again in brief periods in the 19th century. This design still represents France and the House of Bourbon in the form of marshalling in the arms of Spain, Quebec and Canada, for example.
Stafford is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, England. It is located about 15 miles (24 km) south of Stoke-on-Trent, 15 miles (24 km) north of Wolverhampton, and 24 miles (39 km) northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 71,673 in 2021, and is the main settlement within the larger Borough of Stafford, which had a population of 136,837 in 2021.
Alton Towers Resort is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, mini golf and hotel complex.
The White Rose of York is a white heraldic rose which was adopted in the 14th century as a heraldic badge of the royal House of York. In modern times, it is used more broadly as a symbol of Yorkshire.
The Red Rose of Lancaster was the heraldic badge adopted by the royal House of Lancaster in the 14th century. In modern times it symbolises the county of Lancashire. The exact species or cultivar which it represents is thought to be Rosa gallica officinalis.
The Tudor rose is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the House of Tudor, which united the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The Tudor rose consists of five white inner petals, representing the House of York, and five red outer petals to represent the House of Lancaster.
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands of England. It adjoins Cheshire to the north west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the south east, West Midlands and Worcestershire to the south, and Shropshire to the west. The historic county of Staffordshire includes Wolverhampton, Walsall, and West Bromwich, these three being removed for administrative purposes in 1974 to the new West Midlands authority. The resulting administrative area of Staffordshire has a narrow southwards protrusion that runs west of West Midlands to the border of Worcestershire. The city of Stoke-on-Trent was removed from the admin area in the 1990s to form a unitary authority, but is still part of Staffordshire for ceremonial and traditional purposes.
The Mercian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, which is recruited from five of the counties that formed the ancient kingdom of Mercia. Known as 'The Heart of England's Infantry', it was formed on 1 September 2007 by the amalgamation of three existing regiments. The Regiment has had fifteen operational deployments since its formation.
The Prince of Wales's feathers are the heraldic badge of the Prince of Wales, the heir to the British throne. The badge consists of three white ostrich feathers encircled by a gold coronet. A ribbon below the coronet bears the German motto Ich dien. As well as being used in royal heraldry, the feathers are sometimes used to symbolise Wales itself, particularly in Welsh rugby union and Welsh regiments of the British Army.
The Talbot was a type of hunting hound common in England during the Middle Ages. It is depicted in art of the period as small to medium-sized, white in colour, with short legs, large powerful feet, a deep chest with a slender waist, long drooping ears, and a very long curled tail. It is shown in one well-known example at Haddon Hall with a fierce facial expression. It is now extinct, but is believed to be an ancestor of the modern Beagle and Bloodhound. It is uncertain whether it was a scenthound, a sighthound, or a dog used for digging out quarry, nor is it known what type of quarry it hunted, whether deer, fox, boar, etc.
The coat of arms of Brisbane is the official coat of arms of the city of Brisbane. It was first adopted in 1925 and draws much of its symbology from Sir Thomas Brisbane, for whom Brisbane was named.
The Saint Alban's Cross is a yellow saltire on a blue field. It is found in several flags, notably that of the Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban, previously a Benedictine monastery, and the city of St Albans, Hertfordshire.
The rose is a common device in heraldry. It is often used both as a charge on a coat of arms and by itself as an heraldic badge. The heraldic rose has a stylized form consisting of five symmetrical lobes, five barbs, and a circular seed. The rose is one of the most common plant symbols in heraldry, together with the lily, which also has a stylistic representation in the fleur-de-lis.
The Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queen's Own Royal Regiment) was a mounted auxiliary unit of the British Army raised in 1794 to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion. It continued in service after the Napoleonic Wars, frequently being called out in support of the civil powers. It first sent units overseas at the time of the Second Boer War and saw distinguished service in Egypt and Palestine in World War I. During World War II it gave up its horses and became a tank regiment, serving in the Western Desert and landing in Normandy on D-Day. Postwar the Staffordshire Yeomanry became part of the Queen's Own Mercian Yeomanry with one of the squadrons being designated 'Staffordshire Yeomanry' until 2021.
The Wake knot or Ormond knot is an English heraldic knot used historically as an heraldic badge by the Wake family, lords of the manor of Bourne in Lincolnshire and also by the Butler family, Earls of Ormond.
The bat is a heraldic symbol sometimes used as a charge, but most prominently used as a crest on or around the crown in municipal arms of the former Crown of Aragon—specifically in Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
The Staffordshire flag is the flag of the English county of Staffordshire. It was registered with the Flag Institute on 28 March 2016 following a competition between two rival designs. The winning design was proposed by the Staffordshire Heritage Group as a simplified version of the other candidate, the Staffordshire County Council Banner of Arms.
Staffordshire Knot.
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