Richmond Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms of the College of Arms in England. From 1421 to 1485, Richmond was a herald to John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, and Henry, Earl of Richmond, all of whom held the Honour (estate) of Richmond. However, on the accession of Henry as Henry VII of England in 1485, Richmond became a king of arms and remained so until 1510, when the office became that of a herald in ordinary of the Crown. The badge of office is a red rose of Lancaster dimidiating the white rose en soleil of York, ensigned by the royal crown. Although this device has all the characteristics of a Tudor invention, it is likely to be of fairly recent derivation.

The office is currently vacant, its last holder having been promoted to Norroy and Ulster King of Arms in 2024.

Holders of the office

ArmsNameDate of appointmentRef
Herald of John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford
Peter Bouchard(1430)
Thomas More, Esq.(Henry VI)
Herald of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence
William Brereton(Edward IV)
Thomas Griffin, Esq.(1473)
Herald of Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond
Roger Machado(1485)
Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary
Robert Browne1498–1510
John Joyner1511–1522
Christopher Barker1522–1536
John Narboone1536–1540
Gilbert Dethick1540–1547
Lawrence Dalton1547–1557
Nicholas Narboone1557–1566
Hugh Cotgrave1566–1585
Richard Lee1585–1597
William Camden1597–1597
John Raven1597–1615
Sir Henry St George1615–1635
George Mainwaring1635–1660
Henry St George, the younger1660–1677
Henry Dethick1677–1704
John Hare1704–1707
Peter Le Neve1707–1721
Robert Dale1721–1722
Charles Whinyates1722–1737
James Lane1738–1755
Francis Grose1755–1763
Henry Pujolas, Jun1763–1764
Peter Dore1764–1780
Ralph Bigland1780–1803
Joseph Hawker1803–1838
James Pulman1838–1846
Matthew Howard-Gibbon1846–1873
Henry Molyneux-Seel1873–1882
Arthur Larken1882–1889
Charles Athill1889–1919
Sir Gerald Wollaston1919–1928
Henry Robert Charles Martin1928–1942
Sir Anthony Wagner1943–1961
Robin Milne Stuart de la Lanne-Mirrlees1962–1967
John Brooke-Little1967–1980
Michael Maclagan1980–1989
Patric Dickinson1989–2010
Clive Cheesman2010–2024
Vacant2024–present

See also

Citations

Bibliography

  • The College of Arms, Queen Victoria Street : being the sixteenth and final monograph of the London Survey Committee, Walter H. Godfrey, assisted by Sir Anthony Wagner, with a complete list of the officers of arms, prepared by H. Stanford London, (London, 1963)
  • A History of the College of Arms &c, Mark Noble, (London, 1804)

External links