Craven

Heraldry of the World Civic heraldry of the United Kingdom

CRAVEN

Additions : 1974 Settle RDC, Skipton UDC, Skipton RDC (partly)

Official blazon

Arms : Vert three Roses in fess Argent barbed and seeded proper between in chief two Fleeces Or and in base statant upon a representation of the Summit of Ingleborough issuant a Craven Heifer proper.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours on the Battlements of a Tower proper a Wyvern Gules gorged with a Collar compony counter compony Or and Azure and resting the dexter foot on a Cross patonce Vair.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Lion Azure and on the sinister side a Lion Argent each gorged with a Garland of Roses Argent barbed seeded and leaved proper and holding in the interior forepaw a Cross crosslet fitchy that on the dexter bendwise and that on the sinister bendwise sinister Gules.
Motto : 'NEC TEMERE NEC TIMIDE' - Neither rashly nor timidly

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on July 16, 1976.

The background of the shield is green, with three white roses across the middle, symbolizing the Yorkshire Dales in which Craven Lies. Green is the background of Skipton's shield, which also has two white roses, while Settle's crest had a single rose, so these are combined in the new shield. Above the roses are two golden fleeces like that in the arms of Skipton, representing the two Skipton ("sheep town") authorities and the woollen industry. Below the roses is the Craven Heifer standing on lngleborough summit, from the crest of Settle. Skipton R.D.C.'s seal also had a Craven Heifer and a sheep, so all three Councils are represented in the arms.

The mantling and toorse are green and white - the heraldic liveries of Settle and the natural colour of the Craven landscape. Upon the wreath is the crest, mainly derived from that of Skipton. Upon the battlements of a tower indicating Skipton Castle is the red wyvern, or two-legged dragon of the Cliffords, seen in Skipton's crest. To identify it as the Clifford wyvern, it has a collar of the gold and blue chequers from the Cliffords' shield, which run across the top of Skipton's. The wyvern supports the blue and white patterned cross from the arms of Bolton Priory, thus combining references to the two dominant historic influences in the Skipton area.

The supporters are lions from the shield of Settle. On the left is the blue lion of the Percys, (still seen in the arms of the Dukes of Northumberland) and on the right the white lion of the Mowbrays (still a feature of the arms of the Duke of Norfolk). These two families, two of the most powerful in England in mediaeval times, held most of the Settle rural area. Each lion has about the neck a garland of three white roses like those in the shield, and this is suggested by the garland of roses about the necks of the supporters of the arms of the Dukes of Devonshire, lords of the manors of Settle and Giggleswick. Three of England's principal dukedoms are thus represented by the supporters, which hold aloft a red pointed crosslet from the arms of the Earls of Craven, descended from Sir William Craven of Appletreewick, "the Dick Whittington of Wharfedale", who became Lord Mayor of London in the reign of James I, and later made benefactions to his native area.

The motto is a well-known phrase "NEC TEMERE NEC TIMIDE" - "Neither rashly nor timidly" - which implies the value of considered action in a Council's policies. Also, a suggestion of the name can be seen in an alternative translation: "Neither rashly nor cravenly".

Literature : Image and information provided by Laurence Jones (laurencejones@eircom.net)