Bury's Coat of Arms contains aspects and symbols taken from all six of
its constituent towns - Ramsbottom, Tottington, Bury, Radcliffe,
Whitefield and Prestwich. The Motto reads "Forward In Unity". On the
Arms itself, the centre 'X' (the saltire) shows lines interwoven, a
reference to its textile history, and it is surrounded by the leaves of
a papyrus plant to represent paper-making. The ram's and bullock's heads
on either side of the shield were taken directly from the crests of
Ramsbottom and Tottington respectively.
The fact that the principal colour of the shield is silver alludes to
Whitefield. The supporting creatures are taken from the crests of
Radcliffe and Prestwich and represent 2 of their old established
families, the Radcliffes and the Egertons. They wear the red rose of
Lancashire and a blue cogwheel, to represent the county and the once
great industrial base of Bury.
The mythic wyverne creature which surmounts the Arms is seated in a six
castellated crown to represent the six towns. The town's Corporate
Symbol (below left) also incorporates this theme, with six 'bs'
representing the six towns, arranged to form a Lancashire Rose, the
emblem of the county.
Until the metropolitan borough reorganisations of the early 1970s, Bury
was firmly set in Lancashire, (rather than Manchester), and many local
people still regard themselves as Lancastrians.
|
