ARMS: Gules a Bridge of one arch surmounted by three Towers Or in chief a Fleur-de-Lys Gold between two Roses Argent the base barry way of the last and Azure thereon three Ships each with one mast and yardarm the sail furled also Sable.
CREST: On a Wreath Or and Gules upon a Mount Vert a Bridge in the form of a castle with two Ports and three domed Towers and between the Towers two Turrets also domed Argent.
SUPPORTERS: On either side a Sea Horse the upper parts Gules the nether part proper finned Or.
Granted 7th June 1575, and recorded at the Visitation of 1684.
The city owes its name and early development to the bridge at the farthest navigable part of the River Granta or Cante, now Cam. The ships and sea-horses are unusual for an inland town, but historically Cambridge derived much prosperity from river-borne traffic from the coast. The fleur-de-lys and roses are royal and national emblems, they emphasise the privileges granted by many kings over the centuries.
The crest, though described as a bridge in the record, is more like a castle, and perhaps the intention was to represent a fortified bridge in allusion to the fact that Cambridge Castle stood on the hill just above the point at which the bridge crossed the river.
The arms reproduce certain features of a 15th century seal bearing bridge over a stream and above the bridge two angels supporting a shield of the then Royal Arms (France and England quarterly).