Scottish Community Councils - The Heraldry Society of Scotland

Modern Scots civic heraldry really begins with the formation of community councils in 1975 in the first of the two great local government upheavals that were to occur within a single generation. Suddenly the burghs and the counties were gone and replaced by regional, district and community councils.

Just over twenty years later the regions and districts were to go, just as quickly, in their turn, but the community councils carried on.

Community Council Coats of Arms

Some of the modern community councils are based on former royal burghs, some reaching back to the 12th century. Though most royal burghs at one time or another, had arms registered - some, like Perth and Queensferry, almost as soon as the Public Register was opened - at least one remained without a coat of arms until the very end of the burghs in 1975. Other community councils are based on other forms of burgh - some of which had bearings registered, and some of which did not. In many cases the community councils based on the old burghs have had arms granted that are the same as the old burgh's, like Jedburgh's , or are slightly differenced versions of them, like Innerleithen's. So even if seven centuries of burghs simply vanished overnight, the tradition of many of their coats of arms was refreshed and renewed, to find its place in contemporary Scots civic heraldry.

But most of the community councils are new and new coats of arms are appearing in Scotland's civic heraldry, arms that owe nothing to the past but, in the words of one community council's motto, "embrace the future"

Jethart - both Royal Burgh and Community Council

Burgh of Innerleithen

Innerleithen, Traquair and Glen Community Council

The Pattern of Community Council Bearings

Whether the coats of arms are the same as an old burgh's, keeping centuries old traditions alive, or are completely fresh and new, making new traditions for a new age, the full bearings all follow the same pattern - the shield of arms, the motto below the shield and the coronet ensigning it above.

Or at least very nearly all follow that pattern. Some community councils, like Methlick and Gullane & District, have not had mottoes added to their coats of arms and coronet. The very occasional community council, like Lerwick, has been granted a crest - though, as for all modern Scottish civic heraldry, there is no helmet to wear it on. And, very rarely in contemporary Scottish civic heraldry, the occasional community council, like Burntisland, has a motto above the shield.

Although burghs that were the heraldic fore runners of many community councils may have had helmets, crests, supporters, compartments among the exterior ornaments their actual coats of arms the community councils that have 'inherited' those arms have not 'inherited' the exterior ornaments.

Badges

Community councils who have arms may also have badges granted, but so far only one, Kirkliston, has had one recorded