SUFFOLK COASTAL

Additions : 1974 Borough of Aldeburgh, the Urban Districts of Felixstowe, Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Saxmundham and Woodbridge and the Rural Districts of Blyth and Deben

Origin/meaning :
The shield has the basic pattern of the Deben RDC arms and the shield used by Woodbridge UDC - stylized blue and white waves with a chief or top layer, a pattern very suitable for a coastal authority. The waves represent the sea and the main rivers of the area - Orwell, Deben, Alde and Blyth. On the waves is an heraldic lymphad or ancient galley representing the shipping of the coast and rivers and also the boatbuilding industry. The ship is gold with pennon and flags of St. George, and recalls the ship in the arms of Deben and Aldeburgh and the East Suffolk County Council while the waves are also seen in the shield used by Felixstowe.
The chief indicates the name of the authority. Suffolk is suggested by the main emblem.of the East Suffolk County arms, the gold engrailed cross on black of the de Ufford Earls of Suffolk, seen also in Deben's crest. They had associations also with the Blyth area. The Coastal is denoted by two gold scallop shells, each with seven lobes for the seven areas. These emblems are also from the arms of the Seckfords, and are seen in the Deben crest and the Woodbridge device, and also that of Felixstowe. The cross and scallop shells are borne on black roundels.

The crest features historic associations with the castles of Framlingham and Orford (suggested by a castle of two square towers like those of Framlingham), and with the ancient bishopric founded at Dunwich by St. Felix, (denoted by the gold mitre from the Felixstowe device). The mitre also alludes to other important monastic and ecclesiastical associations with Leiston, Felixstowe, Woodbridge and Blythburgh. A golden sun of seven rays rises from behind the castle. This suggests the dawn of a new authority from the union of seven councils, while also suggesting the easterly situation of the district.

The motto is NEW VIEWS TO LIFE from the poem The Library by local poet George Crabbe.