Lewes

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LEWES

District Council

Additions: 1974 Chailey RDC, Lewes (Borough), Newhaven UDC, Seaford UDC

Official blazon

Arms : Gules a Sealion rampant Or a Bordure compony Azure and Or.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours a demi Eagle displayed Sable armed and langed Gules crowned with a Saxon Crown and gorged with a Collar pendent therefrom an Anchor Or.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted in 1975.

The bordure is based on the old Lewes Borough arms, see below. In the new arms, the gold and blue compony bordure reminds us of the checks, while the lion has become a sea lion. The sea lion reflects the maritime and coastal nature of the larger district.

The crest has a black eagle from Seaford's arms and originally used by the Aquila family. The golden anchor is taken from the device of Newhaven. the Saxon crown is to denote that the district lies in the ancient Kingdom of the South Saxons and is also found in the East Sussex County Council arms.

Borough Council

Official blazon

Checky Or and Azure a sinister Quarter Gules semée of Cross-Crosslets Argent thereon a Lion rampant Or.

Origin/meaning

The arms were recorded without colours at the visitation of 1634. The arms were officially described ('certified') by the York Herald on November 19, 1894 and again on June 10, 1963. There has been some dispute about the colour of the lion rampant. In the 1634 visitation the rams show a lion Argent, as also shown on the images below. However, in 1963 the arms were described with a golden lion.

The arms combine the gold lion on red of the Fitzalans family with the gold and blue chequy of the de Warennes family.

The Lewes coat of arms is thought to have been designed by the Prior of Lewes about the year 1398, when Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, confirmed to the Priory the foundation charter of William de Warrenne. The basis for this supposition is the fact that the Mowbray arms consist of a silver lion rampant on red; and it is suggested that the prior added the small crosses as a reference to his having obtained this re-grant to the priory. As, however, the quarter consists of the actual coat of Lord de la Warr, who had some connection with Lewes, it is more likely that the lion and crosslets refer to him. In the new grant is is described as the Fitzalan arms.