Fife

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FIFE

Regional Council

Additions : Fifeshire
Incorporated into : 1975 Fife Area Council
Districts : Kirkcaldy, North East Fife, Dunfermline

Official blazon

Argent, a knight armed at all points on a horse at full speed, in his dexter hand a sword erect, all Proper, his surcoat Argent, on his sinister arm a shield Or, charged with a lion rampant Gules, the visor of his helmet shut, over which on a wreath of his liveries with a mantling of the Fourth doubled of the Third, is set a lion rampant, issuing out of the wreath, of the Fourth, the caparisons of the horse of the Last, fimbriated of the Third, and thereon six shields of the Last, each charged with a lion rampant of the Fourth.

Above the Shield is placed a coronet appropriate to a statutory Region vide licet:- a circlet richly chased, from which are issuant four thistles leaved (one and two halves visible) Or; and on a Compartment below the Shield, on which in an Escrol is set this Motto "Virtute et Opera", are set for Sup porters, dexter, the figure of Saint Ser vanus Proper vested Argent, and sinister, a unicorn Argent, armed, maned and unguled Or, and gorged with a collar Gules, from which is pen dant an oval badge Azure, fimbriated Or, charged with a saltire Argent.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on March 3, 1976.

The Council has been allowed to take over the arms granted to Fife County Council; to these arms have been added supporters and a Regional Council coronet.

The dexter supporter, St Servanus, is the saint specially associated with the Fife burgh of Culross and its Abbey, while the sinister supporter is the unicorn common to all the Regional Councils' coats of arms.

Area Council

Additions : 1996 Fife Regional Council

Official blazon

Argent, a knight armed at all points on a horse at full speed, in his dexter hand a sword erect, all Proper, his surcoat Argent, on his sinister arm a shield Or, charged with a lion rampant Gules, the visor of his helmet shut, over which on a wreath of his liveries with a mantling of the Fourth doubled of the Third, is set a lion rampant issuing out of the wreath, of the Fourth, the caparisons of the horse of the Last, fimbriated of the Third, and thereon six shields of the Last, each charged with a lion rampant of the Fourth.

Above the Shield is placed a Coronet appropriate to a statutory Area Council, videlicet:- issuant from a circlet eight paling piles (three and two halves visible) Or and eight garbs (four visible) of the Last, banded Sable; on a Compartment below the Shield are set for Supporters, dexter, a lion rampant Argent, armed and langued Gules, and sinister, a unicorn Argent, armed, maned and unguled Or. and gorged with a collar Gules, from which is pendant an oval badge Azure, fimbriated Or, charged with a saltire Argent; and in an Escrol below the same this Motto "Honesty and Justice".

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on July 1, 1997.

The Council has been allowed to assume the arms granted in 1976 to Fife Regional Council with a change of dexter supporter and a new motto.

The dexter supporter, a silver lion rampant, harks back to the lion on the Thane's shield and also to the royal lions in the arms of Dunfermline District Council; the sinister supporter is the unicorn, with its distinctive collar and badge, which was common to all Regional Councils' coats of arms.

The Council preferred to replace the previous Latin motto with an English one.