Coat of arms of West Yorkshire
Encyclopedia
The Coat of arms of West Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council was granted in 1975 to the new Metropolitan county
council created in the previous year. The County Council was abolished in 1986 under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1985
and consequently the arms are no longer used.
, is:
For the arms: Or two Piles Azure a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper; and for the crest: on a Wreath of the Colours a Mural Crown Or standing thereon a Lion rampant guardant per fess Gules and Tenne crowned Or bearing in its forepaws a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper; and for the supporters: Dexter a Lion rampant guardant per fess Gules and Sable armed and langued Azure crowned and charged on the shoulder with a Sun in splendour Or sinister a Lion rampant guardant per fess Tenne and Vert armed and langued Gules crowned Or charged on the shoulder with a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper, the whole upon a Compartment representing the Pennine Hills; and for the motto: 'By effort achieve'.
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
council created in the previous year. The County Council was abolished in 1986 under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1985
Local Government Act 1985
The Local Government Act 1985 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. Its main effect was to abolish the county councils of the metropolitan counties that had been set up in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, along with the Greater London Council that had been established in 1965.The...
and consequently the arms are no longer used.
Symbolism
- The shield is divided into five parts which represents the five districts that form the county. These divisions form a letter 'W' which, when comprised with the white rose of Yorkshire, graphically represent the county's name.
- The two lion supportersSupportersIn heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. These figures may be real or imaginary animals, human figures, and in rare cases plants or inanimate objects...
are taken from the Coat of arms of EnglandCoat of arms of EnglandIn heraldry, the Royal Arms of England is a coat of arms symbolising England and its monarchs. Its blazon is Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langued Azure, meaning three identical gold lions with blue tongues and claws, walking and facing the observer, arranged in a column...
. One supporter has an image of the sun while the other has a Yorkshire rose. These two symbols together formed part of the arms of the preceding council, West Riding County Council, as a Rose en Soleil. - The compartmentCompartmentIn heraldry, a compartment is a design placed under the shield, usually rocks, a grassy mount , or some sort of other landscape upon which the supporters are depicted as standing...
shows the hills of the PenninesPenninesThe Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
which make up a large part of the western part of the county.
Blazon
The formal description of the arms, or blazonBlazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
, is:
For the arms: Or two Piles Azure a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper; and for the crest: on a Wreath of the Colours a Mural Crown Or standing thereon a Lion rampant guardant per fess Gules and Tenne crowned Or bearing in its forepaws a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper; and for the supporters: Dexter a Lion rampant guardant per fess Gules and Sable armed and langued Azure crowned and charged on the shoulder with a Sun in splendour Or sinister a Lion rampant guardant per fess Tenne and Vert armed and langued Gules crowned Or charged on the shoulder with a Rose Argent barbed and seeded proper, the whole upon a Compartment representing the Pennine Hills; and for the motto: 'By effort achieve'.
See also
- Coat of arms of BradfordCoat of arms of BradfordThe Coat of arms of Bradford City Council was granted in 1976. The present City of Bradford was created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 and is one of five metropolitan boroughs of West Yorkshire...
- Coat of arms of CalderdaleCoat of arms of CalderdaleThe Coat of arms of Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council was granted to the new council of Calderdale just a few months after the district was created as part of the new metropolitan county of West Yorkshire in 1974.-Symbolism:...
- Coat of arms of KirkleesCoat of arms of KirkleesThe coat of arms of Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council was granted on 24 June 1974. This was just a few months after the district of Kirklees was created as part of the new metropolitan county of West Yorkshire...
- Coat of arms of LeedsCoat of arms of LeedsThe Coat of arms of Leeds City Council derives its design from the seventeenth century. In 1662 the Borough of Leeds received a new charter which created the office of mayor, and the arms seems to date from about this time as they incorporate part of the arms of the first mayor. These arms were...
- Coat of arms of WakefieldCoat of arms of WakefieldThe Coat of arms of Wakefield City Council was granted in 1990. Between 1974 and 1990, the council did not have arms that represented its governance of the expanded metropolitan district of the City of Wakefield, and used the arms of the County Borough of Wakefield...