City of York Coat-of-Arms - Law Courts, Clifford Street, York, UK
N 53° 57.389 W 001° 04.906
30U E 625863 N 5980383
This 1890, red brick building, is York Magistrates' Court. It stands on the south west side of Clifford Street close to the centre of the city. The relief sculpture, showing the coat-of-arms, is located high over the main entrance to the building.
Waymark Code: WMJZ55
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/20/2014
Views: 2
The History of York website tells us about the coat-of-arms:
The Corporation minutes of 1st February 1587 note that the Lord Mayor had received the Coat of Arms of the City, drawn on parchment, from the Queen's Herald of Arms. York's coat of arms is now all over the city and is one of its best known brands but its meaning is rarely explained.
There are two or three variations, but they all contain the red cross of St George, suggesting the city's religious connections, and five gold lions of England, emphasising its strong support of the English royal line. That was an important political statement for a city often at the centre of rebellions and wars with Scotland.
In heraldic terms, the five lions are 'passant', meaning that they are walking, and 'guardant', meaning their heads are turned to face the viewer. They are active and aware.
The coat of arms is often shown with the civic sword and mace behind it - these represent the city's powers of self-government under the mayor. A sword was given to the city by Richard II in 1387, which was allowed to be carried before the mayor on ceremonial occasions, and a charter in 1396 gave the right for a mace to be carried too.
Finally the arms are often topped by a 'chapeau' - which represents the cap of maintenance worn by the bearer of the civic sword. This symbolic cap was first given to the city in 1393, also by Richard II.
The Magistrates' Court is Grade II listed with the entry at the English Heritage website telling us about the sculpture:
Balustraded band forms base of gable containing carved relief of Lord Mayor William Selby receiving the Civic Sword from Richard II. Gable apex filled by York City arms between supporters, beneath canopied hood, and finial is the figure of Justice bearing scales.
The History of York website tells us about Richard II association with York:
Richard II (1367 - 1400) visited York on a number of occasions and granted the city greater freedoms and privileges.
Most importantly, in 1396 he gave the city its most significant royal charter, which promoted it to the status of a county in its own right: ‘the county of the city of York’. The last of the sheriff of Yorkshire’s powers over the city were ended . Two annually elected sheriffs, controlled by the mayor, replaced him.
In 1387 Richard had given a sword of state to the city, instructing that it could be carried point upright in procession, or pointing down when the king was present. The 1396 charter also allowe a mace to be carried. The ceremony continues to this day and both the sword and the mace are often represented in the city's Coat of Arms.
Richard II also created the title Duke of York, first bestowed on his uncle in 1385. The king was usurped in 1399 by his cousin who became Henry IV. Such was Richard’s popularity that the Archbishop of York, Richard Scrope, later led a rebellion against Henry and was executed as a consequence.