Civic Heraldry of the United Kingdom England

LICHFIELD (district council)

Additions : 1974 Lichfield (borough), Lichfield RDC

Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on January 20, 1964 to the Lichfield RDC and taken over by the Lichfield District Council.

The gold Stafford knot on a green background represents rural Staffordshire. The Roman eagle, also in gold, refers to the important Roman historical associations of the district (e.g. Watling Street, Ryknild Street and Letocetum, which gave its name to Lichfield). The eagle is also common to the arms of the Paget and Biddulph families, and was also the emblem of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, who died at Kings Bromley in 1057. The sheaf of arrows is from the arms of the Peel family of Drayton, to which belonged Sir Robert Peel. The chief is derived from the arms of the Borough of Lichfield, it consists of a panel of ermine between two panels of gold bearing the red chevron of the Staffords, which is the basis of the County Arms and also appears in the arms of the Lane family of Kings Bromley.
The special coronet of ears of wheat and acorns is of a type formerly assigned to Rural District Councils. The black stag alludes to the coalfields in the Cannock Chase area. On its shoulder is the sun, which, as the source of light and power, is common to the arms of the National Coal Board and the Central Electricity Generating Authority.

Literature : Information provided by the Lichfield Council and here.

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