Beccles

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  • Overseas possessions
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BECCLES

Incorporated into: 1974 Waveney] (2019 East Suffolk)

Arms (crest) of Beccles

Official blazon

Arms : Azure a Bend wavy between two Ancient Crowns each enfiling two Arrows in saltire points downwards all Or.
Crest : On a Wreath of the Colours in front of a Clump of Rushes proper issuant therefrom a demi Lion Azure a Dolphin Argent.
Supporters : On the dexter side a Dragon wings inverted and addorsed Gules gorged with a Mural Crown and supporting a Staff Or flying therefrom a Banner Argent charged with a Cross pommée Gules and on the sinister side a like Dragon Or gorged with a Mural Crown Gules and supporting a Staff Or flying therefrom a Banner also Gules charged with two Keys in saltire Or.
Motto: 'PROSPERITY THROUGH FIDELITY'

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on February 23, 1956.

The blue and gold of the shield are the colours of Bury Abbey, from whose arms come the familiar crowns and arrows of St. Edmund. The manor and rule of Beccles were granted to the monastery by King Edwy, about 960, and Stephen confirmed the gift. At the Dissolution, the manor went to the Rede family, from whose arms the gold wave is taken. This also refers to the River Waveney, which has played such an important part in the town's history.

The rushes recall the fact, that the women of Beccles had the right "to carry away rushes at their pleasure" from the Fen, and these were of considerable value for roofing and flooring. The dolphin, which is appropriate to the town's riverside interests, is from the arms of Sir John Leman, who founded the Grammar School in the early seventeenth century, and the blue lion is from the arms of the Fauconberg family, one of whose members originated the Fauconberg Educational Foundation at about the same time.

The supporters are derived from the royal Tudor dragons of Henry VIII and Elizabeth, who confirmed previous Charters. Henry bore the dragon in red and his daughter in gold, as supporters to the Royal Arms, an example of which can be seen in the Council Offices. Here the dragons' wings are folded like those of the dragon in this panel, dated 1589. The mural crowns are appropriate to a borough, and the banners of the pommelled cross of St. Michael and the keys of St. Peter refer to the parish church and the ancient Fishermen's Church of St. Peter, whose site is now occupied by St. Peter's House.

Arms (crest) of Beccles

The arms as used on a JaJa postcard +/- 1905

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