Retford’s Coat of Arms

The Town’s Coat of Arms is officially described (blazoned) as:

“on a field or, two Choughs armed and combatant proper, supported by two unicorns rampant ermine, collared sable with three escallops of the field. For Crest, on a torse or and sable, a lion passant gules queue-fourché armed and langued purpure, supporting a shield or, thereon a depiction of the Retford Charter. For motto ‘Vetustas Dignitatem Generat‘.”

Loosely interpreted, this would read as follows:

“On a golden shield, two combatant Choughs in their proper colours, (the shield) supported by two standing unicorns depicted in the heraldic fur, ermine, each with a black collar on which there are three golden escallops (sea-shells). The crest, on a wreath of alternatively wound black and gold cloth (the principal colours of the Arms and mantling) shows a walking lion looking forward, coloured red, with purpose claws and tongue and a divided tail, supporting a golden shield with a representation of the Retford Charter. The motto, loosely translated, means ‘Long existence begets distinction‘.”

The Coat of Arms was granted to the Municipal Borough of East Retford by the Chester Herald of the College of Arms in November 1940 – possibly coinciding with the purchase of a Spitfire, bought by public subscription, and named the ‘Borough of East Retford’ which carried a reproduction of the Coat of Arms below the cockpit.

The choughs are comparatively modern, since all birds in heraldry were originally ‘hawks’ as would have been the birds depicted on the Charter Seal. The Arms are unique, in that a double-tailed lion is extremely unusual in heraldry. However, no-one seems to know the significance of the unicorns, or the escallop shells on their collars.

Retford’s Other Emblems

The Charter Seal

The Town Crest

The Charter Seal: The inscription round the Seal, in Latin and written in Old English, is:

“ISTUT SIGILLUM ESTE RETTFURTHE”

Which translates as:

“THIS THE SEAL OF EAST RETFORD”

The Town Crest: This can be used by the Mayor’s Officer, on behalf of the Mayor, either on its own, or in conjunction with his own Crest.