Bedfordshire

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  • Overseas possessions
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BEDFORDSHIRE

Abolished 2009 to form a county for ceremonial functions.

Arms (crest) of Bedfordshire

Official blazon

Arms : Quarterly Or and Gules a Fess wavy barry way of four Argent and Azure surmounted by a Pale Sable charged with three Escallops of the third.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours issuant from from a Wreath of Oak Or a Swan's Head and Neck proper.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Lion Gules and on the sinister side a Bull Or.
Motto: 'CONSTANT BE'

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on April 12, 1951.

The division of the filed quarterly or and gules is derived from the arms of the Beauchamps, Constables of Bedford Castle, the leading family in the county after the Norman Conquest. The Beauchamp of 1215 was one of the promoters of Magna Carta, and their last male was killed at Evesham in 1265.

The wavy bar denotes the river Ouse. The pale charged with three escallops commemorates the services of the House of Russell to the State, the County and the County Council, and is taken from the arms of that family.

The crest is a swan's head and neck and again refers to the Ouse.

The lion supporter is taken from a similar supporter to the Russell coat of arms. The bull supporter stands for the importance of agriculture in the county.

The motto "Constant be" is taken from Bunyan's hymn: |"Who would true valour see, let him come hither, |One here will constant be, come wind, come weather"Literature:


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Index of the site Information provided by the Couny Council (bedsonline@csd.bedfordshire.gov.uk)