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Hemyock Castle
Ancient Heart of the Blackdowns
Grant of Arms to Captain Sheppard OBE RN
This is the text of the official document proclaiming Captain Sheppard's Grant of Arms, also known as his Coat of Arms.
In accordance with heraldic tradition, it is a "Letters Patent" - an open letter - with the large wax seals of the Kings of Arms.
For his motto, Captain Sheppard chose "Tairise" - Irish Gaelic for "Loyalty."
TO ALL SINGULAR to whom these Presents shall come Peter Llewellyn Gwynn-Jones Esquire Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order Garter Principal King of Arms and David Hubert Boothby Chesshyre Esquire Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order Clarenceux King of Arms send Greetings! Whereas William Wallace Sheppard of Hemyock Castle Hemyock Cullompton in the County of Devon Esquire Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Captain in the Royal Navy (Retired) hath represented unto The Most Noble Miles Francis Stapleton Duke of Norfolk Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire upon whom has been conferred the Decoration of the Military Cross Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England that he is desirous of having Armorial Bearings duly established and recorded under lawful authority and hath requested the favour of His Grace's Warrant for Our granting and assigning such Arms and Crest as We deem suitable to be borne and used by him and by his descendants with their due and proper differences and according to the Laws of Arms And forasmuch as the said Earl Marshal did by Warrant under his hand and Seal bearing date the Twenty first day of May 1977 authorize and direct Us to grant and assign such Arms and Crest accordingly Know Ye therefore that We the said Garter and Clarenceux in pursuance of His Grace's Warrant and by virtue of Letters Patent of Our several Offices granted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty to each of Us respectively do by these Presents grant and assign unto the said WILLIAM WALLACE SHEPPARD the Arms following that is to say Argent on a Saltire Gules between four Bulls' Heads caboshed Azure each crowned with a Naval Crown Gules four Naval Swords points outwards Argent And for the Crest upon a Helm with a Wreath Argent Azure A Swan statant wings elevated and addorsed Argent supporting with the dexter foot a pair of Stag's Attires in saltire Gules Mantled Azure Doubled Argent as are in the margin hereof more clearly depicted to be borne and used for ever hereafter by the said WILLIAM WALLACE SHEPPARD and by his descendants with due and proper differences and according to the Laws of Arms In Witness whereof We the said Garter and Clarenceux have to these Presents subscribed Our names and affixed the Seals of Our several Offices this Twenty second day of May in the Forty sixth year of the reign of Our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen Head of the Commonwealth Defender of the Faith and in the Year of Our Lord One thousand nine hundred and ninety seven.
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Hemyock Castle, Hemyock, CULLOMPTON, Devon, EX15 3RJ, UK.
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