College of Arms

Origin

The College of Arms was established in 1484 at the end of the heraldic time by the King of England, as already made ​​their first noticeable signs of decay of Heraldry, 1555 and renewed in its current form. It continues to exist until today and preserves, among other things, the coat of arms rollers of the heralds on.

Organization

The College of Arms is based in London and reports to the Earl Marshal of England. This office is since King Charles II (1660-1685) the respective Duke of Norfolk transmit hereditary.

The senior staff of the Office, the three officers of arms: Highest Rank is the Herald with the Office the names Garter King of Arms (Coat of Arms King, chief herald rank ). For areas south of the River Trent Clarenceux King of Arms is responsible (derived from the Duchy of Clarence ), for the areas north of the Trent Norroy, King of Arms ( from North Roy, Anglo- Norman " king of the north " (since 1943 as Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is responsible for Ireland and Northern Ireland in union with the Ulster King of Arms which ) ). These three kings coat of arms at the same time play an important role in the coronation ceremony of the English kings. They all wear a official coat of arms. Garter is also the Herold of the Garter ( "The most noble Order of the Garter "). Among them are six Heralds ( heralds ) with the official name of Chester, Lancaster, York, Somerset, Richmond and Windsor, to five extraordinary heralds, Arundel, Beaumont, Maltravers, Norfolk and Wales. Among them, four Pursuivants follow ( Herald - agents, originally Herald contender ) with the official name of Rouge Croix, Blue Mantle, Rouge Dragon and Porticullis (Red Cross, Blue coat, red kite or portcullis ) to an extraordinary pursuivant, Fitzalan. Only the regular heralds and Pursuivanten are officers of the College; at the Extraordinaries are honorary positions.

The College of Arms is responsible only for England and Wales; Scotland ( Court of the Lord Lyon ) and Ireland have their own offices and Coat Kings.

The Church of the College 's St Benet Paul 's Wharf, Queen Victoria Street, London.

Heralds of Arms for England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Jurisdiction

Originally the right to guidance and coat of arms on a particular coat of arms among the nobility was very important at the time of living Heraldry until about 1450 even decisive battle, the fully armored knights could still recognize only based on the coat of arms. Therefore, there was a separate jurisdiction for crest questions, but also for other knightly matters such as affairs of honor, and the like. In England it until today, the Court of Chivalry ( cf. French chevalier, knight, also: cavalry ) charge, which now, however, only rarely comes into action (last time 1954). One of its two chairmen, the Earl Marshal of England; so are the College of Arms and the Court of Chivalry linked by personal union, the college also provides in Crest disputes the basis of their decisions.

Coat of arms

The College of Arms runs its own coat of arms. This shows the red cross of St. George on a silver background and in each of the four fields a blue bird whose right wing is spread.

Building

Since 1555 the College of Arms is based on the present site. Him the medieval house called Derby Place, was assigned by royal order. Here is the Herald's College was sitting to the great town fire in early September 1666.

Through documents the appearance of the building is handed down: A U-shaped building enclosed a square courtyard, which was closed by a gate with portcullis on the western side. On the southern side, in the direction of today's Queen Victoria Street, stood a large hall.

The documents could be saved and the Palace of Westminster, a temporary home was purchased. It was probably a lack of money, which delayed the plans for the reconstruction of the College to 1670. Francis Sandford, Rouge Dragon Pursuivant and Morris Emmett, king Maurer, probably planned the present building. To keep the costs of reconstruction within limits, the new College was built slowly and in parts of 1673-1683. The former heralds itself, but also some nobles contributed significantly to the reconstruction, after which their names and pedigrees were entered in a series of elaborate codices, which are known as a benefactor books and today belong to the certificate inventory of college.

The new building of red brick consists of a uniform height of three floors, a basement and a multi-storey roof. The exterior walls were broken by passing in brick lines. The windows were evenly distributed, the ones in the attic borrowed with the Ionic style triangular pediment. Each wing in the west, north and east got an architrave made ​​of pink sandstone. On the north side of the courtyard, which forms since time immemorial the show side, the gable was provided as a triangular gable edges with straight, curved to the east and west side as verkröpftes cornice. The northern gable was four brick pilasters, also in the Ionian style, on two levels, starting from the recessed brick pilasters of the basement, built. The other side with the rounded gables received two Ionic pilasters, starting again on two floors and on the recessed brick pilasters of the basement.

It was (ie, the public office ) provided a hall porter's lodge and a waiting room. The rest of the building was allocated for the accommodation of the heralds, which usually took several rooms for themselves. These were connected only by a single staircase, built one above the other.

As a conclusion of the eastern and south-eastern side the land was awarded in leasehold and with three row houses whose facades had the same appearance as the college buildings, closed. The annual lease ended in 1748, but the college extended the leasehold, but with significantly shorter maturities. 1866 a part of the college was laid for the expansion of Queen Victoria Street and joined the College compensate for the townhouses to the reduced space. (see below)

The hall, known as the Earl Marshal 's Court, and 1699 was a library. Soon after, she was established as a Court of Chivalry.

Earl's Marshal 's Court

The College today

An important change in the appearance of the building took place in 1776 when the original high baroque gables and eaves details have been replaced by the present parapet. The gables were removed completely. This was more in accordance with the then prevailing taste of classicism.

1742 a sugar warehouse was built on the north -east side of the building. This was a major annoyance, as the heralds suspected a large fire danger for herself and her official residence. It was therefore planned to relocate the colleges. 1818 Although the sugar house was purchased, but the idea of ​​relocation not abandoned. Close to the then modern Trafalgar Square, an attempt was made ​​to build a new official residence. Plans for the new college were prepared by John Nash, but the proposed measures eventually proved to be too costly.

From 1842 to 1844, the Umsiedelungspläne were with the new direction of the Record Rooms by Robert Abraham, on the foundations of the sugar house, finally abandoned. Was built in an octagonal space over two floors with a surrounding gallery. Illuminated is the space of two large Venetian windows on the upper floor.

1861 plans were prepared to build a new road from Blackfriars to the Mansion House. This plan would have led to the complete demolition of the College. Protests by the heralds followed immediately. Which emerged from the changed plans Queen Victoria Street changed the appearance of the building tremendously. Parts of southeast and southwest wings had to be removed and the residues are transformed by George Plunckett. The old entrance on Benet's Hill was built over and the college was radically changed by the angle of view was rotated, and so a three-sided building came with free open courtyard to the new Queen Victoria Street out of it. The farm was, corresponding to the low level road, dug up and added a terrace, running and Porch.

The lattice and two gates to the road were removed in 1942 and 1956, replaced by the current target. This comes from Goodrich Court, Herefordshire from the 1870s.

Literature Note

• Keyword Herald 's Collige in: Gert Oswald: Encyclopedia of Heraldry, 2nd edition, Regenstauf 2006, p 194
• Stephen Slater: coat of arms, shields, helmets. A color-illustrated introduction to heraldry, Vienna o J ( translation: THE HISTORY AND MEANING OF HERALDRY, Anness Publishing Limited, UK 2004 ), pp. 34-39
• The Monarchy in Britain, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London 1981 p.19