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Civic Heraldry of the United Kingdom
England

BEDFORDSHIRE


Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on April 12, 1951.
The division of the filed quarterly or and gules is derived from the arms of the Beauchamps, Constables of Bedford Castle, the leading family in the county after the Norman Conquest. The Beauchamp of 1215 was one of the promoters of Magna Carta, and their last male was killed at Evesham in 1265.
The wavy bar denotes the river Ouse. The pale charged with three escallops commemorates the services of the House of Russell to the State, the County and the County Council, and is taken from the arms of that family.

The crest is a swan's head and neck and again refers to the Ouse.

The lion supporter is taken from a similar supporter to the Russell coat of arms. The bull supporter stands for the importance of agriculture in the county.

The motto "Constant be" is taken from Bunyan's hymn:
"Who would true valour see, let him come hither,
One here will constant be, come wind, come weather"

Literature : Information provided by the Couny Council (bedsonline@csd.bedfordshire.gov.uk)


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