Investigating our holdings of heraldry for our display case, we came across perhaps a unique collection, “Engravings of Arms Miscellaneous” bound, no author or date, although the material within maybe dates it c1790.

Engravings of Arms Miscellaneous

An interesting and curious book which for all intents and purposes is a scrap book collection of heraldry/coat of arms ephemera of civic, ecclesiastical, noble families and gentry from the UK and Europe which is richly illustrated with colour and black and white drawings. One section forms the main focus of the display: Weapons/coat of arms of cities and aristocratic families in the powerful republic of Holland by Jacobus Robyn 1696.

With over 800 beautifully painted coloured crests, these pages open out to approximate w:120cm x h:50cm,. People highlighted on the pages include: Maria Stuart, Mary II of England, 1689 and Wilhem Hendrick , William III of England, Sovereign Prince of Orange, 1650.

A selection of plates showing quarterings, which is a method used in heraldry to display alliances made through marriage.

The image above includes plates for 15th Baroness Ferrers of Chartley, 1764; the crest of The right honourable Francis Osborne  of Kiveton in the County of York; a new and correct collection of arms and crests by Philip Bryan; elements of heraldry and arms of the bishops English and Irish; seals of several counties of England and wales and the monument of Edward Stafford earl of Wiltshire 1499.

A further plate shows the South prospect of the ruins of Sandal Castle and Town of Wakefield 1722, drawn by Samuel Buck. The text at the bottom states ‘This castle near Wakefield in the West Riding of Yorkshire was built by John Plantagenet Earl of Warren and Surrey in the reign of King Edward the 2^nd, near which was a battle fought between the families of York and Lancaster on the 31^st day of Dec AD 1460 in the reign of King Henry the 6^th where Richard Duke of York (then the owner) and his son Edward Earl of Rutland were slain. In memory of which King Edward the 4^th (son of the duke of York) built a beautiful chapel now standing on Wakefield bridge but much defaced the castle was demolished after the Grand Rebellion in the year 1648′.

 Heraldic manuscript, c1625

Manuscript containing over 1200 hand-drawn and coloured illustrations of coats of arms. They represent 600 years of history, from the reign of William I, (1027-1087) to the reign of Charles I (1600-1649).

There are many further resources on heraldry in the Central Library, all listed on our catalogue. For more details please contact us. Tel :0113 378 6982 e-mail: localandfamilyhistory@leeds.gov.uk