Dover (England)

Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry of the United Kingdom

DOVER

District Council

Additions : 1974 Deal (Borough), Dover (Borough), Dover RDC, Eastry RDC (partly), Sandwich (Borough)

Official blazon

Arms : Per pale Gules and Azure on a Fess wavy counterchanged between two demi-Lions passant guardant each conjoined to the Hulk of a Ship a like Hulk conjoined to a demi-Lion counter passant all Gold.
Crest : On a Wreath Or and Gules a demi Horse Argent supporting a Tower Gold.
Supporters : On either side a Sea Horse Argent gorged with a Naval Crown Or and grasping in the fin of the interior foot a Sword bendwise Argent pommel hilt and quillons Gold.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on OCtober 19, 1987.

The District of Dover contains three of the Cinque Ports, Deal, Dover and Sandwich. It is appropriate that the arms should be based on the Cinque Ports shield, divided into three by waves.

The crest has the white horse of Kent, made distinctive by a tower taken from Deal's crest.

The supporters are again the white horse of Kent, made into seahorses and with the distinctive addition of a naval crown and sword to signify the historic importance of Dover to the defence of England.

Borough

The Borough did not have official arms, but used a combination of three shields as can be seen below.

The arms as used on a JaJa postcard +/- 1905	The arms on a Wills's cigarette card, 1906
The arms on a Thomson and Porteous cigarette card, 1906	The arms in the Coffee Hag albums +/- 1925
The arms as used on a Faulkner postcard +/- 1905	The arms as used on a Faulkner postcard +/- 1905