Guildford
GUILDFORD
Borough Council
Additions: 1974 Guildford (Borough), Guildford RDC
Official blazon
Arms: Sable on a Mount Vert between two Woolpacks a Castle with three Towers Argent the central one triple-towered and charged with a Shield of the Royal Arms of France and England quarterly the outer towers each surmounted by a Spire under the battlements two Roses in fesse and within the open port beneath a Portcullis a Key all Or on the Mount before the port a Lion couchant guardant also Or the Base barry wavy Argent and Azure all within a Bordure Or charged with three Cornish choughs proper.
Crest: Out of a Coronet composed of four Ears of Wheat and as many Acorns slipped and leaved set alternately upon a Rim Or, a demi-Lion Argent about the neck a Rope proper entwined there with a Key fessewise Sable and between the forepaws a Flaxbreaker Gold.
Motto: 'FORTITER ET FIDELITER' - Bravely and faithfully
Origin/meaning
The arms were officially granted on January 8, 1975.
The arms are a combination of the arms of the former Borough of Guildford with the addition of a gold border charged with the Cornish Coughs from the arms of the Guildford RDC.
The crest is very similar to that of the Guildford RDC, suitably differenced by the substitution of a key for the original anchor, which presumably is derived from the keys in the County arms.
Borough
Official blazon
Sable on a Mount Vert between two Woolpacks Argent a Castle with three Towers Argent the central one triple-towered and charged with a Shield of the Royal Arms of France and England quarterly the outer towers each surmounted by a Spire under the battlements two Roses in fesse and within the open port beneath a Portcullis a Key all Or on the mount before the port a Lion chouchant guardant also Or the base barry wavy Argent and Azure.
Origin/meaning
The arms were officially recorded at the Visitations of 1623 and 1662-3.
The castle is the former Norman castle, with the combined arms of England and France on the middle tower. The lion in front is the English lion and the whole gate shows the importance of Guildford as an important border fortress. The woolpacks are a symbol for the wool trade and textile industry in the city.
Image gallery
The arms as used on a JaJa postcard +/- 1905
The arms on a Wills's cigarette card, 1906
The arms in the Coffee Hag albums +/- 1935
The arms in Freiburg im Breisgau
Literature: Information provided by the Guildford Council.
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