Staffordshire

County

The arms were officially granted on January 31, 1931.

All the devices on the arms come from arms of various Earls of Stafford. The red chevron on gold was the arms of the de Staffords. It is charged with the family’s famous Stafford knot badge (see Stafford). The supporters are those of the de Staffords also, with the heads turned “reguardant” for heraldic difference.

The motto is “The Knot Unites”.

Fazeby

1811 Staffordshire Fazeby Sixpence

D12

Leek

The arms were officially granted on May 7, 1956.

The basic colours of the arms are gold on a blue ground, the colours of the Earldom of Chester, Dieulacrcsse Abbey, the Kingdom of Mercia and St. Edward. The cross, is that of St. Edward, patron saint of the parish, here it is set X-wise to recall the golden saltire on blue from the arms traditionally associated with the Saxon earldom and kingdom of Mercia, in which Leek held an important place under Earl Ælfgar. The Stafford Knot, like that in the arms of the County Council, indicates the town’s importance in North Staffordshire. The wheat sheaf, is from the arms of the Earls of Chester, from whom the manor of Leek was held by the monks of Dieulacresse Abbey, founded in 1214 by Ranulph, Earl of Chester. The two suns recall the well-known Leek phenomenon of the “double sunset” and also refer to those in the arms of the family of Nicholson who have been so closely connected with Leek’s modern development.

The mural crown is a symbol of local government and recalls Leek’s traditional title of “Capital of the Moorlands”. The mulberry leaves stand for the silk industry and the mound of heather and moorcock refer, to the moorlands, and also to the local archaeological feature, Cock Low. The special type of small-weave shuttle is characteristic of the local Industry.

The motto is that which was in use before the arms were granted.

The arms are now used by the Leek Town Council.

On February 27, 2008 the local newspaper the Leek Post and Times posted an article on the correctness of the crest. According to the blason the animal in the crest is a moorcock or grouse, a typical bird in the area. However, the image clearly shows more like a common rooster or more specifically a black leghorn. A type of chicken originally from the Mediterranean area. Even though many councellors agreed, as far as I know, nothing has been done so far to change the arms. In 2015 the arms above were still shown on the municipal website.

1793 Staffordshire Stafford Penny Conder Token

Obverse: A caduceus, supported by a large bale of goods, LEEK COMMERCIAL HALFPENNY 1793 . The top of caduceus points to first limb of R in “COMMERCIAL” and the bottom to the 3 in date. The 1 of date is curved.

Reverse: Two hands united, and an olive blanch, ARTE FAVENTE NIL DESPERANDUM (Our skill assisting us, we have no cause for despair)

Edge: PAYABLE AT LEEK STAFFORDSHIRE

D&H Staffordshire 10 A. 7

1793 Staffordshire Stafford Penny Conder Token

Obverse: A caduceus, supported by a large bale of goods, LEEK COMMERCIAL HALFPENNY 1793 . The top of caduceus points to first limb of R in “COMMERCIAL” and the bottom to the 3 in date. The 1 of date is curved.

Reverse: Two hands united, and an olive blanch, ARTE FAVENTE NIL DESPERANDUM (Our skill assisting us, we have no cause for despair)

Edge: PAYABLE IN LANCASTER LONDON OR BRISTOL

D&H Staffordshire 13b A. unrecorded?

Rated as RR (very rare) in D&H

Stafford

The shield shows four red interlaced chevrons on a gold ground, signifying the four former local authorities now “embraced” to comprise the new Borough. The livery colours are those of the Stafford family – gold, a red chevron. The green chief betokens the pastoral and agricultural nature of the area, dominated by a Stafford Knot (see below) in gold, whilst the narrow wavy silver band, following the contour of the chief, represents the river Trent which, flowing through the area, also marks the boundary between the two English Heraldic provinces of Norroy and Clarenceux.

The crest is the figure of St Bertelin, holding a staff, an allusion to the name of the town, issuing from a palisado crown in reference to Stafford Castle, formerly overlooking the town from the east. The first castle, built c 1069, was essentially an earth fortification with a stockade for defence, hence the “palisado” crown in distinction to the more usual “mural” crown adopted by some municipal authorities.

1801 Staffordshire Stafford Horton Penny Conder Token

Obverse: The arms of the borough of Stafford (a castle and four
lions). STAFFORD 1801

Reverse: A cypher W H and a Staffordshire knot. PENNY

Edge: PAYABLE BY HORTON AND COMPANY

D&H Staffordshire 3 Atkins 2

Rated as ‘S’ (Scarce) by Dalton & Hamer

1797 Staffordshire Stafford Horton Halfpenny Conder Token

Obverse: The arms of the borough of Stafford (a castle and four
lions). STAFFORD 1797

Reverse: A cypher W H and a Staffordshire knot. PENNY

Edge: PAYABLE BY HORTON AND COMPANY

D&H Staffordshire 21 Atkins 18