Representing Identity! Cornish Heraldry Representing Identity! The aim of this activity is for children to design their own coat of arms with motto (or one for Cornwall). This activity was designed in partnership with the Cornish Language Partnership and the use of Cornish Language (Kernewek) is prevalent throughout.

What is heraldry? Heraldry is the profession, study or art of granting, creating or giving arms. Heraldry developed around a thousand years ago, so knights on the battlefield could identify each other. The art is symbolic, which means colours and symbols chosen all have special meanings. Brief overview of the subject.

Coats of arms Coats of arms have a central shield, many symbols, and a motto. Coats of arms could also be used on flags, family tombs or as wax seals. They can be inherited. Students will probably be familiar with coats of arms but these are three key facts.

Some examples… Native bird Mineral wealth Wealth from the sea Symbol of the Duchy The sea This is Cornwall’s coat of arms. The bezants The motto Whose coat of arms is this?

Examples… The tied ribbon is a sign of being unmarried White chevrons represent hills and mountains, a love of sport… The central division is a word play on her surname Her mother’s maiden name is Goldsmith… Three acorns represent children and Englishness This was the coat of arms created for Kate Middleton before she married. As a married woman her arms will have changed. Blue and red are the colours of the union flag Which newlywed did this recently created coat of arms belong to?

Cornish examples… The Eliot family of Port Eliot’s coat of arms… And the Robartes family’s from Lanhydrock…

More Cornish examples… The Godolphin family arms, from Godolphin House… And the Killigrews of Arwenack manor (Falmouth)…

When two families combine (e. g When two families combine (e.g. through marriage), their coats of arms can combine too… Some people just like to show off! This coat of arms includes the arms of all the families the Enys’ married into. It was not designed to be a genuine coat of arms, it was just demonstrative of all their important and strategic marriages. This belongs to the Enys family, of Penryn…

Designing your coat of arms, step 1: Use the worksheet pick your shield design… The next slides tie in with the worksheets provided. Worksheets can be photocopied and shared, or given to each student. They are designed more as guidance sheets and do not need to be filled in. Each student also needs a coat of arms template.

Designing your coat of arms, step 2: Use the worksheet to pick your colours, animals and symbols – or come up with symbols of your own identity.

Designing your coat of arms, step 3: Choose a motto… People chose their mottos depending on their values, or sometimes because the mottos sounded like their surname! For example: Vive ut vivas – the Vivian family. Neither timidly nor rashly – the Rashleigh family. Kerensa hwilas kerensa (Love seeks out love) - the Polwhele family. The three examples on the sheet reflect the surnames of the families. The Vivians (of Trelowarren) chose a motto that sounded similar. The Rashleighs (of Menabilly/Fowey/Charlestown area) chose one to include the word “rashly”. The Polwhele family chose one that contained the Cornish word “hwilas’, which is pronounced like ‘whele’.

On your guidance sheets are different examples of Cornish mottos. Your motto (2) On your guidance sheets are different examples of Cornish mottos. You can listen to how these are pronounced! If you would like to create a new Cornish motto you can e mail the Cornish Language Partnership who will translate it for you! The audio files for each of the mottos on page 5 of the guidance sheet are on the disc. To contact MAGA (the Cornish Language Partnership), e mail: cornishlanguage@cornwall.gov.uk

Ottomma! Hand your coat of arms down through your family for generations to come! Ottomma is Cornish for ‘look here’.