Motherwell and Wishaw

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MOTHERWELL AND WISHAW

Incorporated into : 1975 Motherwell District (1996 North Lanarkshire)

Official blazon

Per fess Gules and Sable, in chief two cinquefoils Ermine, in base a well Proper.

Above the Shield is placed a Burghal coronet and on a Compartment below the Shield along with this Motto "Industria" are set for Sup porters on the dexter, a puddler naked to the waist and holding in his exterior hand a pole, on the sinister, a miner holding in his exterior hand a pick-axe, both Proper.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on September 18, 1930.

Motherwell and Wishaw were united as one Burgh in 1920. Motherwell had become a Police Burgh in 1865 and Wishaw in 1855. Neither had arms of its own.

The arms show two ermine cinquefoils on a red field to denote the close connection with the Burgh of the Lords Hamilton of Dalzell. The black field in base is for coal-mining, while the fountain recalls the ancient Lady's Well (dedicated to the Virgin Mary) from which Motherwell may have got its name.

The supporters come from the seal adopted by the Burgh of Motherwell in 1892, and are in imitation of the savage, with a club on his shoulder, which is one of the supporters of the arms of Hamilton of Dalzell. They represent Motherwell iron and Wishaw coal.

The Latin motto "Industry" came from the old Wishaw seal.