South Buckinghamshire

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SOUTH BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Additions : 1974 Beaconsfield UDC, Eton RDC (partly)

Official blazon

Arms : Per pale Gules and Sable issuant from a plain Base barry wavy of four Argent and Vert a Mount of the last thereon in front of a Beech Tree fourche of two branches Or a White Swan wings inverted and addorsed proper gorged with a Saxon Crown Gold.
Crest : On a Wreath Argent Gules and Sable within a Circlet of four Fleurs-de-Lys three being manifest Gules a Panther issuant guardant Argent semy of Hurts gorged Gules holding between the forepaws a Petasus Gold.
Supporters : On a Wreath Argent Gules and Sable within a Circlet of four Fleurs-de-Lys three being manifest Gules a Panther issuant guardant Argent semy of Hurts gorged Gules holding between the forepaws a Petasus Gold.
Motto: 'CONSILLO ET ANIMIS' - By wisdom and courage.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on December 17, 1985.

The shield is based on that of the former Eton Rural District Council, whose area constitutes most of that of the South Bucks District. The symbolism is continued in the background of the historic livery colours of the Staffords, Earls and Dukes of Buckingham, whose red and black livery forms the basis of the arms of Buckinghamshire County Council and most of the other civic heraldry of Buckinghamshire. Their White Swan badge, also familiar in the county, stands on a grassy bank by the heraldic river and wears round the neck the Saxon crown from the county crest.

Completing the symbolism is an heraldically stylized tree derived from the familiar Buckinghamshire beech in the County crest, the trunk forked to denote the union of two former county districts.

The crest is largely based on that of Eton Rural District Council and composed of emblems denoting several notable families having historical links with the District. At the base is a circle of red fieurs-de-lis (Astor, of Cliveden), from which rises a white panther spotted with blue (Palmer, of Dorney) wearing a red collar (Desborough, of Taplow) and holding a gold winged helmet (Burnham, of Beaconsfield).

The supporters refer to the county and the name of the District and also to two other well-known families. The fallow bucks are an obvious play on the name, as is that in the arms of the county council, from which these are differentiated by showing the heads full-faced. This posture links the supporters with the arms of the Duke of Portland. Between the antlers of each rises the gold cross from the arms of the Bulstrodes (Gerrards Cross) as it does between the antlers of a stag's head in the Bulstrode shield.

The Motto is that of the former Eton Rural District Council, CONSILIO ET ANIMIS (By wisdom and courage).