Overview of the College of Arms
– The College of Arms is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms.
– It has jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and some Commonwealth realms.
– The heralds are appointed by the British Sovereign and act on behalf of the Crown in matters of heraldry.
– The College is responsible for granting new coats of arms, genealogical research, and recording pedigrees.
– It is self-financed and unsupported by public funds.
– The College of Arms was founded by King Richard III of England in 1484.
– It is one of the few remaining official heraldic authorities in Europe.
– The College has been located in the City of London since its foundation.
– The officers of the College are overseen by the Earl Marshal, always held by the Duke of Norfolk.
– The College is responsible for planning ceremonial occasions such as coronations and state funerals.
Historical Challenges and Changes
– After the defeat and death of Richard III, the heralds lost their patron and benefactor.
– Henry Tudor, crowned King Henry VII, passed an Act of Resumption that affected the College.
– The house granted to the heralds, Coldharbour, was recovered by the crown.
– Despite ill treatment, the heralds’ position at the royal court remained.
– During the reign of Henry VIII, the College was highly esteemed and in full employment.
– The College of Arms faced challenges during the reign of Queen Anne Boleyn.
– Heraldry degenerated under the second Tudor Sovereign.
– Henry VIII conferred a significant grant on the College in 1530.
– The College’s role expanded to include matters related to the flying of flags on land.
– It maintains the official registers of flags and other national symbols.
– The College found a patroness in Mary I.
– The College initially proclaimed Lady Jane Grey as queen, but later supported Mary’s ascension.
– Mary and Philip II granted the College a new house called Derby Place.
– Derby Place was built by Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby.
– The charter reincorporated the officers of arms into a corporation with perpetual succession.
– During the English Civil War, the College was divided between the Royalists and Parliamentarians.
– The heralds petitioned Parliament to protect their records and privileges.
– The heralds joined the King at Oxford and followed him on his campaigns.
– The Committee of Sequestration took possession of the College premises.
– The institutional College was protected by the Parliamentarians and continued its work.
– On May 8, 1660, the heralds proclaimed Charles II as King.
– The Restoration of Charles II annulled the actions of the Lord Protector and declared the grants of arms of the Commonwealth College null and void.
– Derby Place was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
– Edward Bysshe was removed as Garter but appointed Clarenceux.
– The College’s privileges were restored and the heralds resumed their work.
– The College’s premises were completely destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
– The reign of Elizabeth I saw quarrels and disputes among the heralds.
– The College’s reputation was greatly injured during this period.
– The disputes were caused by the imperfect execution of the reorganization in 1568.
– An enquiry into the state of the College led to important reforms in the reign of James I.
– The animosities among the heralds ended only after the expulsion and death of certain individuals.
– The College library was initially stored in the Palace of Whitehall and later moved to the Palace of Westminster.
– A temporary office was opened in an apartment called the Queens court.
– The rebuilding of a new College was delayed until 1670 due to a shortage of funds.
– Francis Sandford and Morris Emmett designed and began construction of a new structure on the old site.
– The costs of rebuilding were financed in stages, with contributions from the heralds and subscriptions from the nobility.
– The College was built out of plain bricks of three storeys, with basement and attic levels.
– The College consisted of an extensive range of quadrangular buildings.
– Accommodation for the heralds was provided, along with a hall, porters lodge, and public office.
– Three terraced houses were constructed for leases, matching the original design.
– The hall was transformed into the Earl Marshals Court or the Court of Chivalry in 1699.
– The College experienced a revival as an institution of state and the monarchy during the coronation of James II in 1685.
– Most of the heralds supported William of Orange and Mary II in the Glorious Revolution.
– From 1704 to 1706, no grants of arms were made by the College due to changing attitudes.
– The Acts of Union 1707 did not affect the jurisdiction or rights of the College.
– The influence of the College diminished greatly during this period.
– A Sugar House built against the College wall caused fire risks and anxiety among the heralds.
– Efforts to address the Sugar House issue were unsuccessful, leading to damage to College records.
– In 1820, the College bought the Sugar House to relieve financial strains.
– The Prince Regent granted the College an annual endowment in 1820.
– The College considered moving to a more suitable location and asked John Nash to design a new building.
– The College petitioned for another charter in 1737 but was unsuccessful.
– In 1842, a new Record Room was built on the site of the old Sugar House.
– Protests from the heralds prevented the complete demolition of the College in 1861.
– Extensive remodelling was required when parts of the building were sliced off for road construction.
– The College remains an important institution, preserving the history and traditions of heraldry.
Modern Role and Preservation
– The College of Arms building was re
– The College of Arms has always been an independent corporate body overseen by the Earl Marshal.
– The commission recommended various changes to the College of Arms Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sovereign and are delegated authority to act on behalf of the Crown in all matters of heraldry, the granting of new coats of arms, genealogical research and the recording of pedigrees. The College is also the official body responsible for matters relating to the flying of flags on land, and it maintains the official registers of flags and other national symbols. Though a part of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, the College is self-financed, unsupported by any public funds.
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 Headquarters of the College of Arms (2011), with the dome of St Paul's Cathedral behind | |
| Type | Royal Corporation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2 March 1484 (incorporated) 18 July 1555 (reincorporated) |
| Founder | Richard III of England Mary I of England & Philip II of Spain |
| Headquarters | 130 Queen Victoria Street City of London EC4V 4BT |
Area served | England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Australia and New Zealand |
Key people | Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, Hereditary Earl Marshal; David White, Garter Principal King of Arms |
| Services | Recording, granting and regulation of heraldry, coats of arms and pedigrees |
| Parent | Royal Household of the United Kingdom |
| Website | www |
Founded by royal charter in 1484 by King Richard III of England, the College is one of the few remaining official heraldic authorities in Europe. Within the United Kingdom, there are two such authorities, the Court of the Lord Lyon in Scotland and the College of Arms for the rest of the United Kingdom. The College has had its home in the City of London since its foundation, and has been at its present location, on Queen Victoria Street, since 1555. The College of Arms also undertakes and consults on the planning of many ceremonial occasions such as coronations, state funerals, the annual Garter Service and the State Opening of Parliament. Heralds of the College accompany the sovereign on many of these occasions.
The College comprises thirteen officers or heralds: three Kings of Arms, six Heralds of Arms and four Pursuivants of Arms. There are also seven officers extraordinary, who take part in ceremonial occasions but are not part of the College. The entire corporation is overseen by the Earl Marshal, a hereditary office always held by the Duke of Norfolk.
