HERTSMERE
Additions : 1974 Bushey and Potters Bar Urban Districts, Elstree Rural
District and part of The Parish of Aldenham from Watford Rural District
Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted in 1975.
The shield represents the name Hertsmere, meaning the boundary of
Hertfordshire (with Greater London). The hart from the County Council arms
stands on a battlemented wall, representing the boundary. the portcullis is
raised to show the free passage between the two counties.
The crest has blue and silver torse wreath and mantling - the livery colours
of Hertfordshire county Council. The crest itself represents the centre of
the district - the Elstree and Aldenham areas. Elstree RDC had arms
featuring an oak tree -Tidwulf's tree - from which the village is named.
The oak tree also represents Aldenham, as an oak featured in the device of
Watford RDC. In front of the tree is a hart supporting spool of film for
Elstree's film studios.
The supporters are both Hertfordshire harts. That on the dexter represents
Bushey, in the west of the borough. The hart is charged on the shoulder with
an artist's pallette, from the device of Bushey UDC. The sinister supporter
is for Potters Bar, in the east of the borough. He is charged on the
shoulder with a potter's wheel, from Potters Bar UDC's unofficial arms.
The motto is DO WELL AND FEAR NOT. This was used by Elstree RDC and is
inscribed on the inside of Shenley Cage. It is also very similar to the
motto of Hertfordshire County Council.
Literature : Image and information provided by Laurence Jones (laurencejones@eircom.net)