Mayor of Warminster, Councillor Chris Robbins finds that often when he is talking to people when he is wearing his chain of office, people are curious to know the origins of Warminster’s coat of arms.
Chris explains; “Warminster Urban District Council was created under the Local Government Act of 1894, and a year later adopted the device or “coat of arms” of the Mauduit family of an armed knight on horseback for use on its seal.”
“This coat of arms was chosen because in the 12th century Henry II had granted the Manor of Warminster to Robert Mauduit, (or Mordaunt) a royal chamberlain and a constable of Salisbury Castle. The device was passed down through Robert Mauduit’s descendants until in 1577 it was sold on and it eventually ended up with the Marquess of Bath.”
“In 1948, when a wooden replica of the coat of arms was made for display in the Council chamber, it was discovered that they had not received a grant of Letters Patent from the College of Arms in London, which meant the device was not valid.
In addition to being used without a grant, it was also found that the device was not that of the Mauduit family after all but was based on that of the Irish Fitzgerald family, form Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare.”
“Warminster Urban District Council approached the College of Arms with a request that Warminster be granted legal use of the coat of arms that had been on its seal since 1895. On 29th November 1948 the use of the coat of arms by Warminster Urban District Council and its successors was duly granted.”
“In 1974 Warminster became a Town Parish within West Wiltshire District Council, and a further endorsement from the College of Arms transferred the arms accordingly, where they remain in use to this day.”
Last modified: 15 June 2022
