Follow Peter O'Donoghue, York Herald, on Twitter
29 May 2013You can now follow Peter O'Donoghue, York Herald, on Twitter, where he tweets on College news, heraldry, genealogy, ceremonial, history and other relevant subjects. Please note that his is not a College of Arms account and the views expressed there are not those of the College of Arms.
St George in a medieval German manuscript
23 April 2013
St George in armour with shield, lance and pennon
This image of St George appears in an German armorial manuscript of the early fifteenth century. He wears armour characteristic of the period and the crest is full of exuberance. On his shield and pennon St George displays the arms Argent a Cross Gules always ascribed to him. In the sixteenth century the manuscript belonged to a Clarenceux King of Arms, but it was given to the College of Arms in 1669 along with thirty-six others by Thomas Povey, a civil servant and courtier.
Crowns and Crests at Arundel Castle
25 March 2013Arundel Castle, the magnificent home of the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk, opens to visitors on 29th March, and full details of opening times can be found here. The Earl Marshal has a supervisory role over the College of Arms, and Arundel's collections and decorative effects include much that is of armorial interest. On display at present is the College of Arms exhibition Crowns and Crests: Heraldry in the Round. This comprises a large collection of carved wooden Crests of twentieth-century Knights of the Garter.
Sword and Dagger: The College of Arms holds three artefacts that have a traditional association with the battle of Flodden, where English and Scottish forces famously met in September 1513. These consist of a sword (pictured left), a matching dagger, and a ring.
