|
BOURNEMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) |
ARMS: Quarterly Or and Azure a Cross flory between a Lion rampant holding between the paws a Rose in the first and fourth quarters six Martlets two two and two in the second and four Salmons naiant and in pale in the third all counterchanged. Motto 'PULCHRITUDO ET SALUBRITAS' - Beauty and health. |
|
The cross flory, the marlets and the basic colours of gold and blue are taken from the arms attributed to King Edward the Confessor. The whole district in the midst of which Bournemouth stands was originally a Royal Estate belonging to him. The four salmon represent the River Stour, which marks the boundary between Christchurch and Bournemouth. The lion is that of England, coloured blue to distinguish it from the royal lion, and made rampant 'as indicating the constant-calls to arms necessary in all that coast during the Middle Ages. The roses in the paws of the lions are the English roses and are also a part of the arms of Hampshire, the county where Bournemouth was originally situated. The martlets are also locally regarded as sand-martins, representing Bournemouth's sand cliffs, while the colours and the fish also suggest sky, sands, and sea. |
EAST DORSET AND WIMBORNE DISTRICT COUNCIL |
ARMS: Azure a Stag's Head caboshed between the attires a Cross flory Or on a Chief Argent a Fleur-de-Lys between two Saxon Crowns Gules. Motto 'SERIO SERVIRE' - Earnestly to serve. The East Dorset and Wimborne District was formed by the amalgamation of the Wimborne Minster Urban District, part of the Ringwood and Fordingbridge Rural District and the Wimborne and Cranborne Rural District. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
|
The shield symbolises the District of East Dorset in the ancient Kingdom of Wessex. The gold cross and blue field are from the ancient arms of Wimbome Minster, derived from those traditionally assigned to Edward the Confessor its
founder, and the gold stag's head represents the ancient Royal Chase of Cranbome; the Minster and Chase each exerted a
considerable influence on the area now represented by the District. The red fleur-de-lys from the arms of the Dorset CC and the red Saxon crowns are derived from those which encircle the necks of the Wessex Dragons supporting the County Shield. |
POOLE BOROUGH COUNCIL (UA) |
ARMS: Barry wavy of eight Sable and Or a Dolphin naiant embowed Argent langued Gules on a Chief wavy of the third three Escallops of the first. Motto 'AD MOREM VILLAE DE POOLE' - According to the custom of the Town of Poole. |
|
The basic design of the arms, but with many variatons in colouration, date back to the late 1300's, where they appeared on an old seal. The arms therefore predate the order of King Henry V in 1417 which forbade the bearing of arms without authority from the Crown and the setting up of the College of Arms in 1484. In the year 1563 an official from the College of Arms visited Poole, and confirmed the coat of arms which had been in use prior to that date without apparent authority. In 1623 there was a Visitation of Dorset by the Heralds and the arms were then drawn again but not in colour. It was only in 1948 that a written description of the arms was confirmed by the College of Arms, clearing up and explaining the many variations in the colouring or tinctures of the blazon in the intervening centuries and authorising the crest, incorporating a mermaid, which had been used without authority for about 200 years. |
WEST DORSET DISTRICT COUNCIL |
ARMS: Gyronny Vert and Gules a Saxon Cross per saltire and quarterly Argent and Or. Motto 'SERVICE WITH HONOUR'. The West Dorset District was formed by the amalgamation of the Borough of Bridport, the Borough of Dorchester, the Borough of Lyme Regis, the Sherborne Urban District, the Beaminster Rural District, the Bridport Rural District, the Dorchester Rural District and the Sherborne Rural District. Picture used with permission, do not reproduce. |
|
|
The shield is divided into eight pieces representing the three former boroughs and one urban district (red) and the four former rural districts (green) which were combined to create the new District Council in 1974. The Saxon Cross symbolizes the ancient kingdom of Wessex, a name which is synonymous with the novels of Thomas Hardy. The four points of the cross represent the four ancient monastic foundations of Abbotsbury, Cerne, Forde and Sherborne. |
WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND BOROUGH COUNCIL |
*ARMS: Azure on Waves of the Sea in base proper a Ship of three masts tackled and rigged all Or the fore and mizzen masts each flying Pennons of St George and two Square Banners that on the first per pale Gules and Vert three Lions passant guardant in pale Or that on the latter quarterly Argent and Gules in the first quarter a Lion rampant Purpure and in the second quarter a Tower triple-towered Or on the Hulk of the Ship an Escutcheon Per fesse Or and Gules in chief three Chevronels also Gules and in base three Lions passant guardant in pale also Or. Granted ?. The Borough of Weymouth and Portland was formed by the amalgamation of the Borough of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis and the Portland Urban District. |
|
The shield is almost identical, with some minor changes, to that of the former Borough of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis which was granted in 1592. The arms on the banners are, with slight variations, those of Edward I, from whom Melcombe Regis received its first Charter, and his queen, Eleanor of Castile, who held the manor. The chevrons on the shield are those of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, who held the Manor of Weymouth in the thirteenth century. |
|
|
|