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Belgische Gemeentewapens - Armories communales de Belgique Belgian Civic Heraldry
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WOUMEN
Province : West Vlaanderen
Incorporated into : 1976 Diksmuide
Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on December 19, 1842.
The arms are based on the arms shown for Woumen on a 17th century map. The map actually showed the arms of the Van Praet family for Woumen, instead of the proper arms of the oldest Lords of Woumen. The arms of the latter are known from the 14th century and showed the cross but with a bar over the cross. In the 15th century the Lords of Woumen used the same combination, but now with a star in the center of the shield.
Why the bar was omitted on the map is not clear.
Literature : Servais, 1955
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