| Coat of Arms of Poole | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Armiger | Poole (1563-1974), Poole Borough Council (1974-2019), Charter Trustees for Poole (2020-). |
| Adopted | Recorded 1563, crest granted 1948, supporters granted 1976 |
| Crest | On a Wreath of the Colours a Mermaid proper supporting with her dexter hand an Anchor cabled without a beam proper and in her sinister hand a Pellet |
| Shield | Barry wavy of eight Sable and Or a Dolphin naiant embowed Argent langued Gules on a Chief wavy of the third three Escallops of the first |
| Supporters | On the dexter a Lion holding a Sword erect proper and on the sinister a Dragon supporting an Oar Argent |
| Compartment | A Compartment per pale a grassy Mound proper and Water barry wavy Azure and Argent |
| Motto | "Ad Morem Villae de Poole" (Latin) "According to the custom of the town of Poole" |
| Earlier version(s) | .svg) |
| Use | The coat of arms of Poole appears on street signs in the former Poole Borough Council area. A variant of the arms is used by Poole Grammar School. |
The coat of arms of Poole was first recorded by Clarenceux King of Arms during the heraldic visitation of Dorset in 1563.[1] The arms were recorded again at the visitation of 1623, but neither visitation noted the colours of the arms.[2] The design originated in a seal of the late 14th century and therefore predated the setting up of the College of Heralds in 1484 and also the order of King Henry V in 1417, which disallowed the bearing of arms without authority from the Crown.[1]
The arms were confirmed by the College of Arms on 19 June 1948, with the colours officially recorded for the first time.[1] At the same time the crest was granted, a mermaid supporting an anchor and holding a cannonball, although it had been in use since the 18th century.[3][4] Following local government reorganisation in 1974, the 1948 arms were transferred to the present Poole Borough Council.[5] In 1976 the borough council received the grant of supporters, the figures on either side of the shield, a gift from Oscar Murton, the then Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons to commemorate his period of service as a Councillor and MP for Poole.[1] [6]
On 1 May 2019 the Borough of Poole was abolished and merged into the new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority. The councillors representing the area of the former borough form Charter Trustees for the town,[7] and on 14 August 2020 the arms were transferred to the trustees by royal licence.[6]
- ^ a b c d "Coat of Arms". Borough of Poole. 2008. Archived from the original on 9 July 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2008.
- ^ Visitation of Dorsetshire, p.6, (UK Genealogy), accessed November 3, 2007 Archived July 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Geoffrey Briggs, Civic and Corporate Heraldry, London, 1971
- ^ W. H. Fox Davies, The Book of Public Arms, 2nd edition, London, 1915
- ^ The Local Authorities (Armorial Bearings) Order 1974 (1974 No. 869)
- ^ a b "No. 63127". The London Gazette. 30 September 2020. p. 16554.
- ^ "The Charter Trustees for Poole". Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. Retrieved 14 February 2022.