The Great Hall Window Heraldic Shield No.9 - The University of Birmingham - Edgbaston, Birmingham, U.K. - Coats of Arms on Waymarking.com

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 Shropshire. The Shropshire Arms:
The blazon of this light is:
Arms: Gules, three Leopards faces Or leopard's face Or.
'The First Civic University: Birmingham 1880-1980, An Introductory History' by Eric Ives, Diane Drummond, Leonard Schwarz (ISBN: 1-902459-07-5)

Three leopard faces appear on the modern Shropshire County Council coat of arms but it is not clear what connection the County has with leopards or whether the face should be leopards or lions. (visit link)


"Armorists still debate today whether the beasts in the arms of England were originally meant for lions or for leopards’ and it seems likely that the leopard’s faces in County’s arms are the beasts featured in the arms of England.'

Source: Article on the Shropshire Star newspaper website (15 November, 2008) (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)

Bearer of Coat of Arms: County / Region Full name of the bearer: Shropshire County Council Where is Coat of Arms installed (short description) ?: The south window of the Great Hall in the Aston Webb building at the University of Birmingham. Material / Design: Glass (painted / stained) Blazon (heraldic description): Gules, three Leopards faces Or leopard's face Or. Address: The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom Web page about the structure where is Coat of Arms installed (if exists): Not listed Web page about the bearer of Coat of Arms (if exists): Not listed

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Date Logged Log   06/19/2019 Poole/Freeman visited it