Kidderminster

Heraldry of the World

British heraldry portal
Civic heraldry of the United Kingdom

Overseas possessions
Total pages in the British section : 15,933
Total images in the British section : 9,634

KIDDERMINSTER (Borough)

Incorporated into : 1974 Wyre Forest

Official blazon

Arms : Azure two Chevronels Or each charged with five Pellets between in chief two Shuttles chevronwise Or threaded Gules and in base a Bee volant Or.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours on a Mount Vert a Kid passant Or holding over the dexter shoulder a Long Cross Gules.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Ram Or armed and unguled Gules and on the sinister side a Stag Or attired and unguled Gules.
Motto : 'DEO JUVANTE ARTE ET INDUSTRIA FLORET' - With God's help, it flourishes by art and industry.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on June 10, 1963.

The arms are based upon the unofficial arms previously used by the Borough, which were adopted at some point in the 18th century, as they appear in that form in a cartouche on Doharty's 1753 map of the town. There seems little doubt that the Borough appropriated, with the substitution of bezants for plates, the existing arms of Kidderminster Inn, a house in Chancery Lane in London occupied by lawyers of the Court of Chancery. Kidderminster Inn had been built by Edmund Kedermister or Kidderminster of Langley Marish, Buckinghamshire around 1600, and he adapted his family coat of arms (Azure two chevronels Or between three Bezants) for the arms of the building. When the Corporation of Kidderminster, realising, it would seem, that the arms of Kidderminster Inn were an adaptation of those of the Kidderminster family, took details from both sources, e.g. the bezants from the family coat of arms and the four roundels per chevron from those of Kidderminster Inn. Another theory is that the black roundels added for difference may have been suggested by the red roundels in the arms of the See of Worcester.

When the new arms were granted in 1963, the gold roundels or bezants were removed and the black roundels or pellets were increased. The bee symbolises industry and the two shuttles represent the carpet trade of the town.

The kid and cross, symbolising a minster church, are a canting or punning in visual terms reference to the name 'Kidderminster'.

The ram symbolises the wool used in carpet-making and the stag is from the heraldry of the Clares. Sir Ralph Clare of Caldwell was first High Steward of the Borough and an important local landowner.