Heritage
Coat of Arms
The Arms were authorised by the College of Arms on 27 June
1975, but the letters patent were not received by the Council until
21 November 1977.
The composition of the Arms follows the normal method of
designing Civic Heraldry in that the Arms allude to the area and
interests of the District. In the case of Ryedale the Catherine
Wheel is from the Arms of Walter Espec, Principal Land Owner of the
District in the Middle Ages. The Wheel has nine spokes to signify
the nine Councils that formed the new District, Flaxton, Helmsley
Rural, Kirkbymoorside Rural, Malton Urban, Malton Rural, Norton
Urban, Norton Rural, Pickering Urban and Pickering Rural.
The two roses of York are for the old East Riding and North
Riding County Councils and the sheaf of Rye is allusive to the
District name.
On the helmet is a mural crown to represent the castles in the
district and on the crown a roman eagle with a flax flower. Behind
the eagle is a Palmer’s staff from the Arms of Malton Priory and a
Crozier for St. Chad and his brother St. Cedd. The two Bishop
Saints being founders of the Abbey of Lastingham in the
7th century.
On the left of the Shield is a Monk of the Cistercian Order
and on the right a Clerk in Holy Orders.
The motto means ‘ A man passes on to better things whilst
earth remains inviolate’
Badge
The Council has also been granted a Badge, this consists of
nine ears of Rye encircled by a mural of crown.
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