One of the heraldic shields in the stained-glass window of the Great Hall in the Aston Webb building of the University of Birmingham.
The south window was designed by Thomas Ralph Spence (1855-1913) and was installed 1908. There are 53 lights in all, focusing on the arms of the University itself, with the shields of the Midland counties above it, so that, as elsewhere, the decorative motifs "expressed the conviction that there was a symbiosis between the University and the region". Benefactors' arms are shown as well. (
visit link)
This light of the window displays a shield representing the county of Staffordshire. The official blazon:
'Arms: Gules a quadrangular Castle in perspective the four towers domed Argent and each surmounted by a Pennon Or between in chief two Stafford Knots and in base a Lion passant guardant of the last.
‘These arms were recorded at the Visitation of 1614, certified circa 1953.
Stafford formerly had two castles, one belonging to the King, and the other to the Earls of Stafford. The royal castle, built by William the Conqueror, was held for the King by Robert de Stafford, ancestor of the first Earl of Stafford, who in 1348 built the second castle outside the town. Both castles no longer exist. The royal and feudal elements in Stafford's history a represented by the lion and Stafford knots. The arms carry on the motif of a thirteenth century seal bearing a castle between four lions. The Stafford Knot.
The origin of the Stafford Knot is shrouded in the mists of antiquity, but it can be said that the somewhat barbaric tale of a certain sheriff who invented it to hang three criminals with one rope at the same time, may be dismissed as an effort of the imagination. The earliest authentic appearance of the Stafford Knot is on the seal in the British Museum, and this was the property of Joan, Lady of Wake, who died childless in 1443.
Her personal possessions passed to her nephew, Humphrey, Earl of Stafford, who adopted the Knot of Rope, henceforward to be known as the Stafford Knot, as his badge, probably just preceding his creation as Duke of Buckingham in 1444. That he did adopt it from his Aunt is undoubted and she, being a direct descendent of Hereward the Wake, may have had it handed down to her from past generations, through many unknown but doubtless - romantic circumstances.
The Duke of Buckingham and his descendants used this Stafford Knot as personal cognizance. It did not form part of their armorial bearings, which were personal to themselves, but it was their badge and they gave the knot of rope to their retainers and servants as a livery and means of recognition.
The townsmen of Stafford were leigemen of the Stafford family, and as such also used this badge. As the days of feudalism passed and individual and civic liberties grew, it was gradually adopted by the Citizens, Freemen and Burgesses until ultimately it was included in the borough coat of arms.’ (
visit link)
The window is 'flanked by massive organ pipes and fine woodwork of the original organ cases...A late insertion, this was donated by Sir John Holder in May 1907...T.R. Spence designed the window and it has fifty-three light. The focus, as with the north front, is the University shield. Above it, in the spandrels, we find shields of the six Midland counties on either side of a full achievement of the arms of the City of Birmingham. The window, in other words, takes up the theme of civic commitment to the Midlands University announced by the entrance front, and this was emphasised by a display of county banners down the hall on either side. The other central lights speak of private support: at the top the Calthorpe arms and Sir John Holder's own shield at the bottom, below a woman holding
the Chamberlain crest.' 'The First Civic University: Birmingham 1880-1980, An Introductory History' by Eric Ives, Diane Drummond, Leonard Schwarz (ISBN: 1-902459-07-5)