MACCLESFIELD
Additions : 1974 Alderley Edge, Bollington, Bucklow RDC (partly), Disley,
Knutsford, Macclesfield RDC, Wilmslow
Origin/meaning :
Although Macclesfield is an ancient borough, it did not have arms until
1960. The town used a badge of a blue rampant lion holding a sheaf,
probably derived from the heraldry of the Earls of Chester. In 1960 this
was placed on a silver shield and granted as an official coat of arms. In
1974 a new grant of arms to the enlarged borough added a blue bordure with
eight gold garbs, representing the eight old Cheshire councils merged in the
new borough.
The crest represents the Knutsford-Bucklow-Wilmslow area. The grassy mound
represents Bucklow Hill, which gave its name to an ancient hundred and
modern Rural District. The red lion represents the Egertons of Tatton, who
held the hundred's Court Leet. This lion appears in Knutsford's crest. Red
lions also occur in the arms of the local Legh, Mallory and Leigh families.
The antique crown occurred in the crests of both Knutsford (coloured gold)
and Wilmslow (coloured red). In Knutsford's case it referred to King Cnut,
in Wilmslow's to the Greg family. In the new crest the crown has a red
circlet and gold points. The crest is completed by the white estoile of the
Honford family.
The supporters are for the Macclesfield Forest area, which included the
towns of Alderley Edge, Bollington and Disley. They are gold stags, from
the arms of the Stanley Earls of Derby, Master Foresters and Hereditary
Stewards of the Liberty and Hundred of Macclesfield. Stags also occur in
the arms of other local families - the Stopfords, Downs and Shrigley
families. Around their necks are garlands of laurel, from the seal of
Bollington UDC. From this hangs a black cross-crosslet of the Davenport
family, who held the Master Forestership in Norman times. The stags are
each standing on a black hunting horn. These occurred in the Sherd and
Sutton family arms, who held land in the forest.
The motto - MEMORES BONI CONSILII - Mindful of our worthy purpose - gives
the council's initials.
Literature : Image and information provided by Laurence Jones (laurencejones@eircom.net)
coats of arms on-line ! 
