Heralds College

Heralds' College body first chartered in 1483 by Richard III of England. It has been reorganized several times. Its purpose is to assign new coats of arms and to trace lineages to determine heraldic rights and privileges (see heraldry ). It has collected and combined the rule of blazonry into a system. The college consists of the Garter king of arms (principal king of arms of both England and the Order of the Garter), the kings of arms of Norroy and Ulster and of Clarenceux, and several heralds and pursuivants (attendants). It is supervised by the earl marshal of England. In Scotland, heraldic matters are regulated by Lord Lyon; in Northern Ireland, the jurisdiction of the Ulster king of arms passed in 1943 to the king of arms of Norroy. The kings of arms and heralds also proclaim a new king's accession and attend at state occasions such as the opening of Parliament and the introduction of new peers into the House of Lords.

Bibliography: See R. Milton, The English Ceremonial Book (1972).

College of Arms. Established in 1484 by Richard III to bring order into the approval of heraldic designs. Garter king-of-arms has precedence though his concerns are mainly with his order. Clarenceux king-of-arms looks after the area south of the Trent, Norroys king-of-arms the area north and Ulster. There are also six heralds and four pursuivants, under the overall control of the earl marshal. Scottish heraldry is the responsibility of the Lyon Office under Lord Lyon king-of-arms, assisted by three heralds and three pursuivants. The office of Lord Lyon descends from that of Sennachie, bard to the ancient Celtic kings of Scotland.

J. A. Cannon

College of Arms see Heralds' College .