Bedfordshire County Council Arms

Bedfordshire County Council crest

  

The Bedfordshire County Council Arms

The arms are derived as follows: -

quarterly or and gules: derives from the arms of the Beauchamps, Constables of Bedford Castle, the leading family in the county after the Norman Conquest.  The Beauchamp of 1215 was one of the promoters of Magna Carta, and their last male was killed at Evesham in 1265.

 

fesse barry wavy of four argent and azure:

• denotes the river Ouse.

• a pale sable charged with three escallops of the third: commemorates the services of the House of Russell to the State, the County and the County Council, and is taken from the arms of that family.

 The crest: -

• issuant from a wreath of oak or a swan's head and neck proper: again refers to the Ouse.

The Supporters:-

• on the dexter side a lion gules: this is taken from a similar supporter to the Russell coat of  arms.
• on the sinister side a bull or: this stands for the importance of agriculture in the county.

 The motto: -

 "Constant be": from Bunyan's hymn:  

 "Who would true valour see, let him come hither,

 One here will constant be, come wind, come weather".