GLOUCESTER

Origin/meaning :
The City of Gloucester has a proud and colourful history which is clearly illustrated through its two distinct coats of arms. The earliest version is often referred to as the Tudor Coat and was granted in 1538 during the reign of Henry VIII. The Commonwealth Coat was presented to the city in 1652. These later arms were presented to the city in 1652 at an event described as the Herald's Visitation of the County of Gloucester. The arms comprise a shield in gold with three red chevronels and ten torteaux in a three, three, three and one pattern but without the later crest or supporters. The city proved its right to these arms at that Visitation and although there is little doubt that this coat was in use prior to the granting of the Tudor Coat in 1538, unfortunately there is no record of its origin.

The resultant grant of 1652 incorporated the ancient shield with the addition of a crest, namely, issuant from a mural crown a demi-lion guardant holding in the right paw a broadsword and in the left paw a trowel proper; and supporters, namely, on either side a lion holding in the right forepaw a broadsword proper; together with the motto 'Fides invicta triumphat' (unconquered faith triumphs). It is probable that the motto was adopted as a tribute to the spirit of the citizens of Gloucester who successfully held the besieged city in the Parliament cause of 1643. On the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, the crest and supporters of the Commonwealth coat were declared null and void since they were granted during the Commonwealth. The Corporation were, however, seemingly reluctant to abandon the Arms which had been assigned to them by the de facto Garter of the Commonwealth regime, and they were probably fortified in their determination to adhere to them in the knowledge that they had proved their right to the shield in the reign of James I. The Commonwealth coat has been in continuous use ever since without serious challenge, but the Corporation finally decided to regularise the position by having the coat recorded in the College of Arms and legally granted to them by Letter Patent dated 16 April 1945.