Monmouth

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MONMOUTH

Borough Council

Additions : 1974 Abergavenny Borough, Abergavenny RDC, Monmouth Borough, Monmouth RDC, Chepstow UDC, Chepstow RDC, Pontypool RDC, Usk UDC

Official blazon

Arms : Or two Piles reversed Gules five Garbs all counterchanged.
Crest : Issuing from an Ancient Crown Or a Castle triple-towered proper; Mantled Gules doubled Or.
Supporters : On the dexter a Ram proper supporting with its forelegs a Prior's Bourdon Argent and on the sinister a Welsh Pony proper supporting with its forelegs an Abbot's Crozier Or crook inwards with Veil proper.
Motto: 'PROGRESS IN UNITY'

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on September 25, 1974.

The two red piles are an allusion to the Wye Valley, the Brecon Beacons - the "valley" between two mountains. Garbs of cereal have been placed about the shield in allusion to the importance of agriculture to the area. The colours are significant, the gold referring to the intrinsic worth and wealth of the area, the red to the effort required before potential wealth and excellence can be realised.

The crest consists of a stylised castle rising from an antique Royal crown. This refers to the many famous castles in the area with the crown referring to the fact that one of them, Monmouth Castle, was the birth place of King Henry V.

The supporters are a Welsh pony and a ram. The ram supports a Prior's Bourdon in allusion to the celebrated religious house of the Augustan Canons, Llanthony (usually referred to as Llanthony Abbey whereas it was in actual fact a priory). The crosier supported on the Welsh pony is that of an Abbot - the veil hanging down on the crosier indicates this and refers to the Cistercian Abbey of Tintern.

Borough

Official blazon

Arms : Azure three Chevronels Or over all a Fesse Gules; the shield ensigned with a Mural Crown of the second.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Lion guardant murally crowned Or and on the sinister side a Heraldic Antelope Argent gorged with a Mural Crown Or.
Motto: 'MONEMUS ET MUNIMUS'

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on August 8, 1946, but the shield had been in unofficial use for many decades before this. It is possibly based on the arms of the De Clare family, but the origin is not fully clear.

To the shield were added versions of the supporters of the arms of Henry V, who was born in the town. They have mural crowns added as appropriate to a municipal authority.

The motto, the first word of which suggests the town's name, means: " We advise and defend".