Congleton
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 Civic heraldry of the United Kingdom |
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CONGLETON
Additions: 1974 Alsager, Congleton (Borough), Congleton RDC, Middlewich, Sandbach
Incorporated into: 2009 Cheshire East
Official blazon
Arms: Barry wavy of six Argent and Azure on a Tun Argent a Lion statant guardant Or between two Conger Eels also Argent on a Chief Azure between two Garbs a Mullet Or.
Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours in front of a representation of the Saxon crosses at Sandbach proper a demi Wheel Gules.
Supporters: On the dexter side a Wolf Argent and on the sinister side a Lion Purpure armed and langed Or each charged on the shoulder with a Fountain and resting the interior hind leg on a Crystal of Rock Salt proper.
Motto: 'NUNQUAM NON PARATUS' - Never unprepared.
Origin/meaning
The arms were officially granted on ?
The field of the arms consists of silver and blue waves for the borough's rivers and canals which brought trade to the area. The conger eels and tun are a pun and rebus on the council's name. On the tun, or barrel, is a royal English lion. The chief has a five-pointed star between two Cheshire garbs, to show five Cheshire councils combined.
The crest shows a representation of the Saxon crosses of Sandbach, together with a half wheel for the River Wheelock, and the area's watermills.
The dexter supporter is the silver wolf of Hugh Lupus, first Earl of Chester, and the sinister is the purple lion of Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln. The latter granted the Borough's first charter.
Both supporters are differenced by fountains on the shoulder, and each rests a foot upon a salt crystal.
Previous arms
Official blazon
Arms: Sable on Water in base barry wavy Azure and Argent a Tun between two Conger Eels Argent a Lion statant guardant Or on the Tun.
Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours a demi Bear muzzled proper with Chain reflexed over the back and supporting a Garb Or.
Supporters: On the dexter side a Wolf Argent and on the sinister side a Lion Purpure armed and langued Or about the neck of each a Chain pendent therefrom two Keys in saltire Or.
Motto: 'SIT TIBI SANCTA COHORS COMITUM' - To Thee be the band of comrades dedicated.
Origin/meaning
The arms were officially granted on September 5, 1967.
The main part of the shield contains the very ancient "conger-tun" punning motif from a fifteenth century seal, with the royal lion standing on the tun. This was also used as the crest of the former unofficial arms (see below).
Image gallery
The 19th century seal
The arms as shown in the early 20th century
The water in the base refers to the River Dane.
The bear refers to the nickname of as the "Beartown" from an incident during Elizabethan times when bear baiting was a popular sport. Rumor has it that the Congleton town bear died before the annual Wakes (annual town summer holiday when all industry shut down), so the towns people decided that money set aside to buy a new town bible should be used to buy a new bear so that the celebrations would not spoil. This is recalled in the rhyme: "Congleton rare, Congleton rare, Sold the Bible to buy a Bear". The sheaf links to those in the arms of the Cheshire County Council.
The wolf is derived from the device of a wolf's head said to have been borne by Hugh Lupus, first Norman Earl of Chester. It is used widely in Cheshire as a symbol of the Earldom, which held Congleton.
The purple lion is that of the de Lacys, who held Congleton from the 11th century and procured a market charter for Congleton. The chains and crossed keys refer to the ancient custon know as "St. Peter's Chains, or Bells". On the Feast of St. Peter ad vincula, at midnight, the chains were used. They consisted of three broad leathern belts, around which on the outside are a number of bells with rolling bullet clappers. Three acolytes with the belts slung over their shoulders, paraded the principal streets, the clanging chains (which represent those that bound the Apostle) calling the faithful to wake up and pray.
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© since 1995, Heraldry of the World, Ralf Hartemink 
Index of the siteLiterature: Image and information provided by Laurence Jones and http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk