BULLSEYE

Grant of Arms to an Ancestor

Citizens of nations other than Scotland but who are descendants of Scottish citizens may request a grant of arms "for and in memory of" his ancestor for whom the Arms are being sought.  Once the arms are granted in the name of the ancestor the petitioner has the same rights to them as if he had inherited them.

New Grant of Arms

A citizen of Scotland who is a "virtuous and well deserving person" may apply for a new Grant of Arms to himself.  The petitioner must set out his ancestry, or as much of it as he wishes to have included in his Grant of Arms and can prove.  The proofs required are Certificates of Birth or Marriage for each fact stated, or Certified Extracts from appropriate Registers, Census Records, Wills, Sasines, etc.

The Letters Patent, which the petitioner will eventually receive when the Arms are granted, is a formal title deed from the Crown. It grants the Arms forever and protects them by the Laws of Scotland. Because the Arms granted are heritable property, the petitioner should carefully consider whom he wishes to inherit his Arms or a different version of them. His wish is set out as a "destination" for the Arms.

Suggestions Accepted

The petitioner may include a draft or description of what he would like the arms to look like.  The Lord Lyon can accept, modify, or reject the request.  The petitioner may accept the changes required by the Lord Lyon or withdraw their petition if he prefers.  If the petitioner accept the arms as modified by the Lord Lyon, he will pronounce his judgment and instruct the Lyon Clerk to prepare the Letters Patent.

Turnbull of Minto

The petitioner will then receive from Lyon Clerk a draft text for the Letters Patent for his approval and a bill for the fees to H.M. Treasury and the Herald Painter, which must be paid at that time.  This initial process requires up to a year to complete.  Once the draft text has been approved and the fees have been paid, the Lyon Clerk will send the Letters Patent

granting the Arms to the petitioner. At that point the petitioner is free to design and use arms which fit the description in the Letters Patent. 

 

Arms Based on Description not Painting

It is interesting to note that the official grant of arms is a description of the arms in heraldic terms, not the actual of those arms done by the Herald Painter.

Bishop William Turnbull

There can be slight variations in a coat of arms as long as the basic requirements of the description are met.  It is, however, common to pay an additional fee and obtain a copy of the arms painted by the Herald Painter and use that as the master from which reproductions are made.

A copy of the Arms and the text of the Letters Patent are placed on record in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland in name of the petitioner, and the process is complete.  Once Arms have been granted and recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, they are protected by law and by respect for tradition.

Lyon Court Rich in History

Though the offices of the Lyon Court are remarkably narrow, they are tall with pride and deep with history.  Hand-painted crests of past knights of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle adorn high shelves and cabinet tops.  Well worn, leather-bound registers hold coats of arms hand-painted on thick vellum paper.

Robin Blair, 34th Lord Lyon, explains that "in the earliest times, the principal function of the Lord Lyon in Scotland was to confirm the correct heir to the Scottish throne, satisfying himself that the genealogy of the claimant was honourable and accurate. The significance of this role was, and still

is, reflected in the royal coat of arms worn by the Lord Lyon. This identifies him as 'high sennachie', the officer responsible for identification of the heir to the throne. The name 'Lyon' was adopted because the royal coat of arms for Scotland principally depicted a lion rampant."

Today, the duties of the Lord Lyon are primarily to ensure that arms are used legally and state ceremonial responsibilities such as the opening of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.  The Lord Lyon also attends Scottish Highland Games in other nations including an annual visit to the USA.
   
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