The Armorial of local councils in Scotland lists 46 heraldic coats of arms organised according to type of council, whether Regional, Island, City District, or Other. Each entry includes the name of the geographic area represented and a blazon (description in highly stylised heraldic language). Many entries include a mention of the shield supporter(s) and an image of the herald; some include a motto.
Area Councils (1996-present)
editThere are 32 council areas in Scotland, each controlled by a council which is the local government authority.
Regional Councils (1975-1996)
editA heraldic template was set for all of these councils comprising a special coronet (a circlet richly chased from which are issuant four thistles leaved (one and two halves visible) Or) and sinister supporter (a unicorn argent). The Strathclyde council was never granted arms.[1]
| Image | Details |
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Borders
Blazon: Azure a saltire Argent surmounted at the fess point by an inescutcheon Gules fimbriated Or and charged with four barrulets wavy Argent between in chief a salmon naiant and in base a ram's head cabossed Proper a bordure counter-compony of the first and second. |
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Central
Blazon: Azure a saltire Argent surmounted at the fess point by an inescutcheon Gules fimbriated Or and charged with two caltraps in chief and a dexter mailed gauntlet paleways in base all Or a bordure counter-compony of the first and second. |
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Dumfries and Galloway
Blazon: Azure a saltire Argent surmounted at the fess point by an inescutcheon Gules fimbriated Or and charged with a lion rampant Argent crowned Or a bordure counter-compony of the first and second. |
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Fife
Blazon: Argent a knight armed at all points on a horse at full speed in his dexter hand a sword erect all Proper his surcoat Argent on his sinister hand a shield Or charged with a lion rampant Gules the visor of his helmet shut over which the wreath of his liveries with a mantling of the fourth doubled of the third is set a lion rampant issuing out of the wreath of the fourth the caparisons of the horse of the last fimbriated of the third and thereon six shields of the last each charged with a lion rampant of the fourth. |
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Grampian
Blazon: Azure a saltire Argent surmounted at the fess point by an inescutcheon Gules fimbriated Or and charged with a cross-crosslet fitchee Or a bordure counter-compony of the first and second. |
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Highlands
Blazon: Azure a saltire Argent surmounted at the fess point by an inescutcheon Gules fimbriated Or and charged with a star Argent a bordure counter-compony of the first and second. |
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Lothian
Blazon: Azure a saltire Argent surmounted at the fess point by an inescutcheon Gules fimbriated Or and charged with a sun in splendour Or a bordure counter-compony of the first and second. |
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Tayside
Blazon: Azure a saltire Argent surmounted at the fess point by an inescutcheon Gules fimbriated Or and charged with a fleur de lis Argent and in chief a bar wavy of the last a bordure counter-compony of the first and second. |
Island Councils (1975-1996)
editThe island councils used the same supporter but their crown was four dolphins two and two respectant naiant (two visible) Or.[2]
| Image | Details |
|---|---|
| Orkney
Blazon: Parted per pale Azure and Gules in the dexter a dragon galley Or sails furled Argent and in the sinister a lion rampant imperially crowned Or armed and langued Azure holding in its forepaws a battleaxe erect in pale Gold. | |
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Shetland
Blazon: Azure a base invected barry Argent and Sable the alternate party lines being engrailed and plain a dragon ship Or the sail charged with a raven Proper oars in action Or flag and mast Gules. |
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Western Isles
Blazon: Or on a fess wavy Azure between three lymphads oars in action sails furled Sable flagged Gules two barrulets wavy Argent. |
City District Councils (1975-1996)
editThe city district council crown was a circlet richly chased from which were issuant eight thistle heads (three and two halves visible) Or.[3]
| Image | Details |
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Aberdeen
Blazon: Gules three towers triple-towered within a double tressure flowered and counterflowered Argent. |
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Dundee
Blazon: Argent a pot of three growing lilies Argent. |
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Edinburgh
Blazon: Argent a castle triple-towered and embattled Sable masoned of the first and topped with three fans Gules windows and portcullis shut of the last situated on a rock Proper. |
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Glasgow
Blazon: Argent on a mount in base Vert an oak tree Proper the stem at the base thereof surmounted by a salmon on its back also Proper with a signet ring in its mouth Or on the top of the tree a redbreast and in the sinister fess point an ancient hand bell both also Proper. |
Other District Councils (1975-1996)
editThere were District Councils within the regions.[4][5][6]
| Image | Details |
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| Borders Region | |
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Berwickshire
Blazon: Argent on a mount Vert a bear Sable collared and chained Or standing in front of a tree Proper. |
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Ettrick & Lauderdale
Blazon: Argent on a mount in base a stag lodged reguardant in front of an oak tree all Proper the tree charged of an inescutcheon of the arms of the Earl of Lauderdale (Or a lion rampant Gules couped at all his joints of the field within the Royal Tressure Azure). |
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Roxburgh
Blazon: Azure a unicorn salient Argent horned maned and unguled Or the tail tufted Or on a chief Argent a hunting horn Sable stringed and viroled Gules between two esquires' helmets of the field. |
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Tweeddale
Blazon: Quarterly 1st Sable five fraises Argent 2nd Azure a horse's head couped Argent 3rd Vert a golden fleece 4th Or fretty Gules a chief embattled Gules charged with two thunderbolts Or. |
| Central Region | |
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Clackmannanshire
Blazon: Or a saltire Gules a chief tierced per pale 1st Vert sinister gauntlet 3rd also Vert a dexter gauntlet both Proper 2nd Argent a pale Sable. |
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Falkirk
Blazon: Quarterly 1st Sable a bend bretessed accompanied by six billets Or three in chief and three in base 2nd Gules a stag's head erased with a cross-crosslet fitchee between the attires Or 3rd per pale Gules and Sable in a sea in base undy Argent and Azure a three-masted ship of the 17th century Or in full sail Proper flagged Gold 4th per fess engrailed Azure and Vert in chief a demi-angel Proper attired Argent wings displayed Or and celestially crowned Or holding in either hand a palm branch Vert and in base a bend wavy Argent charged with a bendlet wavy Azure. |
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Stirling
Blazon: Azure on a saltire between two caltraps in chief and base and as many spur rowels in the flanks Argent a lion rampant Gules armed and langued of the first. |
| Dumfries and Galloway Region | |
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Annandale & Eskdale
Blazon: Or on a saltire Gules a golden fleece Or on a chief Gules a bar wavy Argent charged with two barrulets wavy Azure. |
| 150px | Nithsdale
Blazon: Argent a double-headed eagle displayed Sable beaked and membered Gules surmounted of an escutcheon Argent charged with a saltire Sable and surcharged in the centre with a hurcheon Or within a bordure Gules charged with five estoiles Or on a chief wavy Azure and endorse Or between dexter the demi-figure of the Archangel Michael wings expanded brandishing in his dexter hand a sword all Proper and on his sinister arm an escutcheon Argent charged with a cross Gules and sinister on a rock in base Proper a double-leaved gate Gules triple-towered on an ascent of five steps flanked by two towers all Argent towers arch-roofed and masoned Sable vanes Gules. |
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Stewartry
Blazon: Azure a lion rampant Argent armed and langued Gules crowned with an antique crown Or surmounted of a bar chequy Argent and Vert. |
| 150px | Wigtown
Blazon: Per pale indented dexter Azure a lion rampant Argent armed and langued Gules crowned with an antique crown Or and gorged of an antique crown Vert sinister Gules a chevron Argent and issuing from the sinister chief a quadrant of the sun arrayed Or on a chief Azure having a fillet Ermine a saltire Or charged with nine lozenges also Azure. |
| Fife Region | |
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Dunfermline
Blazon: Azure on a rock Proper two lions supporting a tower with four steps Argent masoned sable windows and portcullis Gules. |
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Kirkcaldy
Blazon: Azure an abbey of three pyramids Argent each charged with a cross pattee Or between in chief dexter a garb and sinister a buckle and in base a lymphad sails furled oars in action all Or. |
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North East Fife
Blazon: Quarterly 1st Gules three crowns of myrtle Or 2nd Argent on a mount in base the figure of St Andrew Proper bearing his cross in front of him Argent 3rd Argent on a base undy Azure and Argent a lymphad sails furled Sable flagged Gules 4th Gules in chief a garb Or banded Vert in base a plough also or share Argent. |
| Highland Region | |
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Badenoch & Strathspey
Blazon: Or an osprey volant grasping a fish in its talons Proper a chief wavy per pale dexter Azure a boar's head couped Or and sinister Gules an antique crown also Or a bar wavy enhanced per fess wavy Argent and Azure. |
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Caithness
Blazon: Azure a galley Or the sail thereof Argent charged with a raven Sable and in chief two crosier heads Or. |
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Inverness
Blazon: Per fess Azure and Gules a barrulet wavy enhanced Argent in base Our Lord upon the Cross Proper between a crescent and a mullet Or and in chief between dexter a cornucopia and sinister a fraise Argent on a pale or a cat saliant Proper. |
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Lochaber
Blazon: Argent two Lochaber axes heads upwards and blades outwards saltirewise intertwined with a chaplet of oak in chief an imperial crown all Proper. |
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Nairn
Blazon: Azure a figure of St Ninian holding in his dexter hand an open book his crosier in his sinister hand and pendant from the wrist thereof a manacle all Proper between dexter a sun radiant Or and sinister a mullet Argent on a chief Or two water budgets Sable. |
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Ross & Cromarty
Blazon: Per fess Gules and Azure in chief three lions rampant Argent in base an endorse Argent between dexter a stag's head cabossed and sinister a sun in splendour between five mullets Or. |
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Skye & Lochalsh
Blazon: Per fess in chief per pale Azure and Vert in base Azure in chief a pale Or charged of a lymphad sails furled and oards in action Sable flagged Gules all between dexter a castle triple-towered and embattled Argent masoned Sable windows and port Gules and sinister a boar's head erased holding in its mouth a shank-bone of a deer Argent and in base a stag's head cabossed Or overall on a fess wavy Argent a barrulet wavy Azure. |
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Sutherland
Blazon: Gules on a fess Argent between three mullets Or a horseshoe Azure having seven horsenails Or between two ravens respectant Sable. |
| Grampian Region | |
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Banff & Buchan
Blazon: Argent a lion passant guardant Gules crowned with an antique crown Or on a chief wavy Azure three fish fretted Proper between two garbs of the third banded Vert. |
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Gordon
Blazon: Quarterly 1st Azure three boars' heads couped Or 2nd Or semee of torteaux an oak tree eradicated of then leaves Vert fructed of two acorns in fess Azure 3rd per fess Argent and Or a fess embattled in chief and wavy in base between in chief an otter passant guardant Sable and in base a boar's head erased between two crescents Gules 4th per fess Azure and Pean three garbs Or overall at the centre point a tower Or masoned Sable window and port Gules. |
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Kincardine & Deeside
Blazon: Gules the sword of state and sceptre of Scotland in saltire in chief the crown of Scotland Or a closet wavy reduced Azure fimbriated Argent on a base wavy Vert three pallets Or. |
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Moray
Blazon: Quarterly 1st & 4th Azure three mullets Argent 2nd & 3rd Argent three cushions within a double tressure flory-counterflory Gules. |
| Lothian Region | |
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East Lothian
Blazon: Gules three bars Ermine over all a lion rampant Or armed and langued Azure. |
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Midlothian
Blazon: Or a lion rampant Vert armed and langued Gules surmounted of a fess Azure charged with three suns in splendour Or. |
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West Lothian
Blazon: Azure issuant from a mount in base an oak tree fructed all Or a bordure Argent charged with four gillyflowers Gules alternately with as many laurel leaves slipped Vert. |
| Strathclyde Region | |
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Argyll and Bute |
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Bearsden and Milngavie |
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Clydebank |
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Clydesdale |
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Cumbernauld and Kilsyth |
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Cumnock and Doon Valley |
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Cunninghame |
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Dumbarton |
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East Kilbride |
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Eastwood |
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Hamilton |
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Inverclyde |
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Kilmarnock and Loudoun |
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Kyle and Carrick |
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Monklands |
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Motherwell |
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Renfrew |
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Strathkelvin
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| Tayside Region | |
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Angus
Blazon: Quarterly 1st Argent a lion passant guardant Gules imperially crowned Or 2nd Gules a cinquefoil Or 3rd on a fess chequy Argent and Azure surmounted of a bend Gules charged with three buckles Or 4th Argent a man's heart Gules imperially crowned Or on a chief Azure three mullets Argent. |
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Perth & Kinross
Blazon: Or a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure standing on a compartment or mount Proper and brandishing in his dexter paw a scimitar of the last all within a double tressure flowered counter-flowered Gules on an inescutcheon Argent on an island Proper on a loch undy Azure and Argent a castle Proper. |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Scottish Regional Councils 1973-1996, Isolation Heraldry Week 5a" (PDF). Lyon Court. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Island and City Councils 1973-1996, Isolation Heraldry Week 5b" (PDF). Lyon Court. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Island and City Councils 1973-1996, Isolation Heraldry Week 5b" (PDF). Lyon Court. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "District Councils continued, Isolation Heraldry Week 5c" (PDF). Lyon Court. Retrieved 15 Apr 2023.
- ^ "District Councils continued, Isolation Heraldry Week 5D" (PDF). Lyon Court. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
- ^ "District Councils continued, Isolation Heraldry Week 5E" (PDF). Lyon Court. Retrieved 27 May 2021.