The earliest known use of what we now recognise as the Alresford Coat of Arms was in the 18th century on the Beadles's staff which was presumably part of the Town's early equipment held by the Bailiff and Burgesses. The arms appear below the Hanoverian Coat of Arms (post-1714 and pre-1801 version) and are shown left. There are known to be two such staffs, originally owned by private individuals, but passed into the custodianship of the Town Trustees and currently on display in the Alresford Museum at the Old Fire Station.
The Coat of Arms also appears on the Constable's batton and again the origin and date are unknown but it is believed that it is pre-1865. The batton is in the care of the Town Trust and is currently on display in the Alresford Museum at the Old Fire Station. The Coat of Arms is similar to that on the Beadle's staff with minor variations in the shape and form of the chequy.
The Coat of Arms also in a Victorian form appears on the facade of the Community Centre, within the roof portico with the initials of the builder and the date 1865.
The Coats of Arms from the Beadle's Staff and the Constable's Staff are drawings based upon tracings made by Roy Robins.
There are numerous examples of the use of the Coat of Arms in the 20thCentury:
- It was used as a seal, in a form similar to that on the Community Centre, by the Alresford Gas Company and is assumed to be later than that appearing on the Community Centre.
- It was adopted for use in the crest of HMS Alresford in 1919. (see picture right)
- It was adopted by the Alresford Chamber of Trade (now the Chamber of Commerce) prior to the second world war but was originally used in a monochrome form, being changed to green with the Alresford swag below it when colour became common on letter heads.
- The Alresford Coat of Arms is reproduced on a number of items in St. John's Church.
- Numerous tea spoons and china memorabilia have been produced bearing the arms.
- The coat of arms was formerly adopted in its 'modern' shield form, as we see it today, in 1977, after Roy Robins had carried out his research which is documented on this page.
The most recent use of the Coat of Arms is on the tablet erected on the wall of the Wessex Pharmacy to celebrate the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the town signs on the East, West and South approach roads to the town in 2005. On both of these the arms are represented correctly and in their correct colours.
Anybody who wishes to use the Town's Coat of Arms should first check with the Town Council and the Town Trustees.
This page is based upon the original work and research undertaken by Roy Robins to whom we give our thanks.
The blazon of the Alresford Coat of Arms may be said to be:
Quarterly
1st and 4th Argent - a lion rampant sable armed and langued gules
2nd and 3rd - Chequy or and sable
This coat of arms is not registered as Alresford's Coat of Arms with the College of Arms and a search of the accepted reference books has not turned up any set of arms of this nature . However, it would appear that the ordinaries of the first and fourth quarters (the lions rampant) constitute the Coat of Arms of certain ancient princes and families of the Merioneth area of Wales and those of the second and third quarters (the chequers) constitute the Coat of Arms of certain families of Molton or Moltone of Leicestershire and Pinho, Devon.
Argent - Silver
Armed - with teeth, claws, horns
Blazon - description of arms
Chequy - divided into squares
Gules - red
Langued - visible tongue
Or - gold
Ordinary- a common geometrical figure
Sable - black
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