Witney

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WITNEY

Incorporated into : 1974 West Oxfordshire

Arms (crest) of Witney

Official blazon

Arms : Vert on a Fess wavy Argent between in chief a sinister Glove of the last between two Leopards' Faces each holding in the mouth a Shuttle Or and in base a representation of the Butter Cross at Witney Gold a Barrulet wavy Azure.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours upon a Mount Vert between a Crescent and a Star Or a Paschal Lamb proper.
Motto 'INGENIO FLOREMUS'

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on September 9, 1955.

The white and blue wavy band on a green background represents the surrounding countryside and the River Windrush on which the town stands. For centuries Witney has been associated with blankets and in 1711 the weavers obtained a charter from Queen Anne incorporating them as a Company and Blanket Hall was built in the High Street. Here all blankets had to be taken for measuring and weighing, thus ensuring that the very high quality of the blankets was maintained.

The two leopard's faces holding shuttles are from the Blanket Makers arms, which appears beneath the one-handed clock on Blanket Hall. The glove represents the gloving industry, for which the town is also famous. At the base is the Buttercross that stands in the heart of Witney, it is said to be the base of an ancient preaching cross - of uncertain age.

The Paschal lamb was used as a device before the arms were granted and the mount on which it stands can be seen as refering to the site (know as the Mount), where the Bishops of Winchester built a palace some time between 1047 and 1070.


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