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CAMERON
HERALDRY INTRODUCTION |
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THE COURT OF THE LORD
LYON, EDINBURGH
The many coats of arms did not just happen,
or come from the unknown distant past. Someone created them and someone
said they could be used.
This is how heraldry is organised in
Scotland.
The Queen is the fountain of honour and by
Her Authority the principal heraldic officer in Scotland, the Lord Lyon
King of Arms, has the power to grant coats of arms to "virtuous and well
deserving persons and corporations". The Lord Lyon will devise new coats
of arms which must be different from any other coat granted before. He is
a Scottish Judge with his own Court which has a Procurator Fiscal.
The Fiscal can charge people who
misappropriate coats of arms in Scotland, and the Lord Lyon has the power
to fine those who disobey his judgements. |
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Ross Herald of Arms
Extraordinary |
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He can also confiscate any objects bearing
unauthorised heraldry. No other Head of a Heraldic Executive anywhere else
in the world has the same legal authority. The Court is situated in New
Register House located at the east end of Princes Street in Edinburgh.
To assist him he has a Lyon Clerk and Keeper
of the Records who is responsible for maintaining the Public Register of
All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. This was established by the Scottish
Parliament in 1672 and contains every coat of arms granted since that
date. There are now almost 90 volumes, each of 200 vellum pages. All
entries are hand painted and hand written by a team of heraldic painters
and calligraphers.
The painters also prepare Letters Patent, the
legal document issued by the I Lord Lyon which grants a coat of arms to a
person or company. |
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Lord Lyon with four of
his Officers, left to right; The Hon. Adam Bruce, Marchmount Herald of
Arms, Charles J Burnett Esq. Ross Herald Extraordinary, David Sellar
Esq. Lord Lyon King of Arms, Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, Rothesay
Herald, Mrs Elizabeth Roads, Snawdoun Pursuivant. |
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To assist the Lord Lyon on official duties
there are three Heralds and three Pursuivants. The latter title is taken
from the French and means follower or apprentice.
"All are members of the Royal Household in
Scotland and wear tabards bearing the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom as
used in Scotland. Not even the children of the Sovereign can wear The
Queen's coat of arms!
Official duties can vary, in 2010 the Lyon
and the Heralds have already proclaimed the Dissolution of the Westminster
Parliament in Edinburgh on 13th April, and this month will be on duty at
the Opening of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. On 24th
June they will be on duty at the Installation of a new Governor of
Edinburgh Castle, on 15m July they will be present in St Giles' Cathedral,
Edinburgh, when the Queen installs two new Knights of the Thistle, and
finally in December they will return to St Giles' for the Annual Thistle
Service. |
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Otherwise the Officers of Arms can
advise those wishing to know more about heraldry, give lectures, or
write about the subject to create better understanding about an aspect
of Scotland which helps to give identity to individuals, companies,
schools and local authorities. Heraldry has existed in the ancient
Realm of Scotland since at least 1177 and has been used to identify
documents, buildings and possessions belonging to individuals. Because
Scotland was never a wealthy country compared to England when
decoration was required it was often armorial because it combined two
purposes, beautification and identification a double function which
appealed to canny Scots!
With thanks to Charles J Burnett Esq.
Ross Herald. |
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The front of New Register House in
Edinburgh. Lyon Court is situated on the first floor and can be
visited morning or afternoon, Monday to Friday. |
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CLAN
CAMERON HERALDRY
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© Clan Cameron Association
Scotland last Update
05 Sep 2016 |
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