Aylesbury Vale

Heraldry of the World Civic heraldry of the United Kingdom

AYLESBURY VALE

Additions : 1974 Aylesbury (Borough), Aylesbury RDC, Buckingham (Borough), Buckingham RDC, Wing RDC, Winslow RDC (partly)

Official blazon

Arms : Vert a Mute Swan rousant proper gorged with a Saxon Crown Or in chief a Bar wavy Argent.
Crest : On a Wreath Argent and Vert a Cornucopia fesswise Or replenished with Fruit and Cereals perched thereon an Aylesbury Duck close proper.
Supporters : On either side a Fallow Buck holding in the mouth a Sprig of six Beech Leaves proper and gorged with a Collar dancetty Vert.
Motto : 'CONCORDIA PRORSUM' - Forward in harmony

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on ??-1978

The green background indicates the fertility of the Vale. The main area is occupied by the traditional White Swan of Buckingham which is common to the arms of the County Council and the former Boroughs of Buckingham and Aylesbury. In the two former arms the swan has a gold ducal crown about the neck, with a gold chain attached, though in the Buckingham arms recorded at the Visitations the crown has no chain. In the Aylesbury arms it has no crown, like the County Council's Swan supporter. Here the swan's neck is encircled by the gold Saxon crown from the County crest seen also in red in the arms of Aylesbury. The white wave represents the River Ouse in its course across the District's northerly parts. The whole shield thus indicates this fertile rural area of Buckinghamshire watered mainly by the Ouse.

The colours of the wreath indicate the green of the Vale and the white of the Chiltern chalk. The gold cornucopia denotes the Vale's agriculture and associated industries, on which stands the characteristic Aylesbury Duck from the Aylesbury crest.

The two fallow bucks are like that which supports the arms of the County Council in allusion to the name. The collars in the form of a green 'W' are placed round their necks for difference and suggest the Rural Districts of Wing and Winslow. Each holds in the mouth a sprig of six beech leaves from the tree in the County crest, representing the union of six former Buckinghamshire areas in the District.

The idea of co-operation and progress is expressed in the motto. The word 'CONCORDIA' is part of the motto of the de Rothschild family, and 'PRORSUM' is part of the motto of Aylesbury, suggested by the idea of progress implied in the County motto.

Literature : Image and information provided by the council.