Arms of The City of Bath

The Motto

Aquae Sulis: The Waters of Sul, the Roman name for the city
The earliest record of the Arms appears in William Smith’s Particular Description of England, which is now in the British Museum. The date of the map of Bath contained in this manuscript is assumed to be the same as the map of Bristol dated 30th/31st July 1568. The map of Bath depicts the Arms as they appear today.

Use of the Arms and Badge

 

 

 

  1. The Arms are registered in the name of the City Council, who have no authority to grant their use to any other body, either as a full achievement, or in part, e.g. shield only.
  2. Permission may be granted for the reproduction of the full achievement, the shield only, or the City badge, on certain souvenirs. Only the badge can be used on ties and blazer badges for sale to the general public, as only members and officials of the Council are entitled to wear the arms on ties and blazer badges.
  3. The badge, with the permission of the Council, may be used by organisations wishing to show their affiliation to Bath by using the badge in conjunction with the name, or initials, of the organisation concerned, or on ties and blazer badges in the same manner.
  4. When the arms or badge is used to decorate souvenirs, the words “City of Bath” should be used either above or below the emblem.
  5. It is an infringement of the Patent to use, reproduce, or display the City Arms or badge in any way, without first obtaining written permission from the Clerk to the Charter Trustees.

The Bearers

A lion and a bear, sometimes shackled, standing on acorns. The acorns are a link to the story of Bladud, legendary founder of Bath. They are also a prominent architectural feature of Bath. The keys are those of St Peter, one of the Patron Saints of the Abbey.

 

 

The Crest

Commemorates the coronation of King Edgar in 973. The crown is held aloft by sleeved hands copied from those of St Dunstan in the Edgar Window in the Abbey.

 

 

The Shield

Depicts the Borough Wall, the mineral springs and the River Avon. The sword is that of St Paul, one of the Patron Saints of the Abbey