CUMBRIA
Additions : 1974 Cumberland, Westmorland
Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on 10th October, 1974.
On the green border are Parnassus flowers (representing Cumberland) interspersed with white roses (Yorkshire) superimposed with red roses (Lancashire). The centre of the shield is made up of segments of blue, white, yellow and green divided by wavy vertical lines and zig-zag horizontal lines. This depicts the new County and from left to right the vertical lines of segments show: blue and white for the sea, blue and yellow (gold) for the lakes and agriculture, green and white for mountains and lakes and green and yellow (gold) for mountains and agriculture.
The ram's head crest is taken from the arms of Barrow County Borough and also of Westmorland and is distinguished from them (the heraldic term is "differenced") by Parnassus flowers, taken from the former Cumberland Arms, put between the rams' head and the wall on which it stands.
The left supporter is the Dacre Bull at Naworth, a legendary beast from the Cumberland arms. On the right is a red dragon - a reference to the red Dragons of Appleby the ancient county town of Westmorland; also it is heraldically related to the red wyverns of Carlisle and symbolises the connection, going back to Celtic times, between Cumbria and Cambria (Wales).
The supporters stand on a base compartment representing Hadrian's Wall, across which are two red bars taken from the Westmorland arms, which in turn derived them from the arms of the de Lancaster barons of Kendal. The Barony of Kendal was in the South of Westmorland.
The motto: "Ad Montes Oculos Levavi" is taken from the latin version of the Psalms, Psalm 121; and is translated, "I shall lift up mine eyes unto the hills" which was thought apt, as the Lake District Fells can be seen from all parts of the new County.
Literature : Image and information provided by Laurence Jones.
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