Heraldry

by Henry Pasten-Bedingfeld

Book by Pasten-Bedingfeld, Henry

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Michael Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes this oversize volume different from all the other illustration-rich heraldry books on the market is its authorship: Bedingfeld is Rouge Croix Pursuivant and Gwynn-Jones is Lancaster Herald, both of them full-time practicing heralds at the College of Arms in London under the authority of the Duke of Norfolk, who is also Earl Marshal of England (and therefore responsible for grants of arms). His grace also contributes a brief foreword to the book. They’ve divided up the labor here, with Bedingfeld taking the chapters on heraldic history and development, the workings of the College, and royal heraldry, while Gwynn-Jones is responsible for the chapters on heraldry as art and also its continental aspects. Much useful information is included on English heralds of the past, some of whom were great scholars and innovators while others were only in it for the money. They also investigate the origins of various heraldic monsters, such as the basilisk (based, they believe, on the hooded cobra). There are a great many illustrations taken from grants and rolls in the College’s archives, most of which I’ve never seen reproduced before.