Heraldry Quiz No.1
10 Questions to Check your Understanding
of some of the Basics
Suggested Approach
1. Do what you can without looking anything up.
2. Research the ones you are not sure of.
3. And only then look at the answers.
1
What is the most likely reason for two coats of arms to be impaled together like this?
2
What is likely to be the significance of the small coat of arms in the centre?
3
What is the significance of the red hand?
4
What can you say about this shield?
5
What is the significance of the yellow stars?
6
What can you say about this person?
7
What can you definitely say about this person?
8
What can you say about this person?
9
At what period was this the royal coat of arms?
10 Canting or Punning Arms
These are the arms of people called De Barre, Cockburn, Hogg, Roseveldt and Rota
Which is which?
A
B
C
D
E
Extra Teaser/Puzzler Question
You are not expected to know the answer to this question but, perhaps, you might figure it out.
The arms opposite are those of the town of Arundel. They are canting arms, at least partially. Can you work out how? You’ll need your French. If you come up with a solution, without finding the answer online, or you’d like to know the answer, please let me know via heraldry@mortimerhistorysociety.org.uk
Answers to
Heraldry Quiz No.1
1
What is the most likely reason for two coats of arms to be impaled together like this?
The arms of a husband and wife with the husband’s on the dexter
2
What is likely to be the significance of the small coat of arms in the centre?
The main arms are of a man who has married an heraldic heiress. Her arms are placed in the centre of his.
3
What is the significance of the red hand?
It signifies that he is or was a baronet
4
What can you say about this shield?
These are the arms of a bishop. The arms of his office are on the dexter side (in this case Canterbury) and his own personal arms are in the sinister side
5
What is the significance of the yellow stars?
A star or mullet is used to indicate a third son. But this person wasn’t a third son, or the mullet would have been placed centrally across all quarterings. He did, however, have a male ancestor who was a third son.
6
What can you say about this person?
This is the funeral hatchment of a man. As there is no sign of another coat of arms, he was probably unmarried, though he may have been divorced or a widower.
7
What can you say about this person?
These are the arms of a baron
8
What can you say about this person?
These are the arms of a woman and the coronet tells us she was a countess
9
At what period was this the royal coat of arms?
The are the Stuart arms of Charles I and Charles II
10 Canting or Punning Arms
These are the arms of people called De Barre, Cockburn, Hogg, Roseveldt and Rota
Which is which?
A
Rota
B
Roseveldt
C
Cockburn
D
De Barre
E
Hogg