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Civic Heraldry of the United Kingdom
England

EAST DORSET

Additions : 1974 Ringwood & Fordingbridge (partly), Wimborne Minster, Wimborne & Cranborne

Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on May 29, 1959 to the Wimborne & Cranborne RDC and continued by East Dorset in 1974.

The gold cross and blue fields are from the ancient arms of Wimborne Minster, derived from those assigned to Edward the Confessor, its founder. The stag's head represents the ancient Royal Chase of Cranborne. The Minster and Chase each exerted a large influence in the area.
The chief shows a fleur-de-lis derived from the arms of Dorset County, and the red Saxon crowns which encircle the necks of the Wessex dragons in the Dorset arms.

The crest is derived from symbols from the arms of four eminent local families. The ermine lion is that of the Cecils, Marquesses of Salisbury and Markgraves Cranborne. The lion wears the gold crown and holds the cap of maintenance from the crest of the Ashley-Coopers, Earls of Shaftesbury, of Wimborne St. Giles. The crown from which the lion emerges is composed of two fleur-de-lis taken from the arms of the Bankes family of Kingston Lacy, while the two red roses are from the Sturts, Earls Arlington of Crichel.

The motto means "Earnestly to serve".

Literature : Image and information provided by the East Dorset Council (www.eastdorsetdc.gov.uk)


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