THE ARMS, SEALS, INSIGNIA, AND PLATE OF THE TOWN
The town arms represent the situation of Beverley near water by wavy bars and the supposed
derivation of the name by a beaver. (fn. 94) The arms
and tinctures were recorded in 1584 (fn. 95) and those
were evidently the usual arms by the 18th
century, when they were used on the market
cross and in the guildhall. The arms have,
however, been quartered with others: or, an
eagle displayed azure. The eagle, probably for
John the Evangelist, the patron saint of the
minster, may have appeared on the 16th-century
town seal and the quartered arms were seen on
another seal in 1584-5; (fn. 96) they were used later on
a seal and on the waits' and mayor's chains. It
was probably from the Beverley arms that the
eagle was taken as a device by the former East
Riding county council. (fn. 97)
Borough of Beverley.
Argent, three bars wavy azure; on a chief azure, a beaver with its head turned and biting at its fur, or.
Another coat of arms recorded in 1584 was or,
an eagle displayed with the head and tail of a
beast, presumably a beaver, argent. (fn. 98) It was not
otherwise recorded. No evidence has been found
for yet another coat attributed to Beverley. (fn. 99)
The town's earliest known common seal is
believed to have dated from the 13th century.
Impressions of 1345 and 1425 and a cast survive.
The seal was round, 2½ in., and depicted an
archbishop, presumably St. John of Beverley,
archbishop of York, seated on a throne, his
left hand holding a crozier, his right raised in
blessing, and under his feet a dormant animal,
presumably intended to represent a beaver. On
each side of the figure was a tree and overhead
a crescent on the left and a star on the right.
Legend, lombardic: SIGILLVM COMMVNITATIS
BVRG[ENCIU]M BEUERLACI. (fn. 1) The seal was altered
in the early 16th century by the addition of a
shield of arms on either side of the figure. The
right-hand shield is believed to show the then
arms of the see of York (fn. 2) and those of Thomas
Savage, archbishop 1501-7, that on the left
possibly an eagle. The seal as altered is known
from an impression of 1533 and a cast (fn. 3) and was
perhaps that seen by Leland and described as
showing a beaver. (fn. 4)
A second seal, referred to as the 'lesser leaf'
(minor folium) of the common seal, existed by
the mid 14th century, when its use was ordered
for non-returnable documents, like testimonials
and the release made to the keepers in connexion
with their accounts. The 'whole seal' (sigillum
integrum), evidently comprising the greater seal
and the lesser used as a counter-seal, was then
ordered to be used for the keepers' commission
which was to be surrendered at the end of their
year of office. (fn. 5) Such a commission of 1345 bears
a fragmentary impression of the whole seal; the
counter-seal was evidently round, smaller than
the seal, and depicted foliage and possibly a
beast. Legend, lombardic: [. . .]GIENSI[. . .]. (fn. 6)
Fifteenth-century references to the 'greater leaf'
(major folium) of the common seal imply the
continued existence of a counter-seal. (fn. 7) A later
seal was apparently based on the medieval
counter-seal: a similar design executed more delicately appears on a fragmentary impression of
1585. Legend, humanistic: [. . .]M BVR[. . .]. (fn. 8) It
was perhaps the lesser seal of silver bought just
before incorporation in 1573 (fn. 9) and possibly the
matrix inspected in 1584-5. The latter was
round, and depicted a beast, probably a beaver,
against foliage. Legend, humanistic: SIGILLVM
BVRGENSIVM BEVERLACI. (fn. 10)
The medieval common seal had evidently been
replaced by the 17th century. The new seal,
known from impressions of 1647 (fn. 11) onwards, was
round, 2¼ in, and depicted a shield bearing the
town arms against foliage. Legend, within decorative borders, humanistic: SIGILlum MAIORis
GVBERNATorum ET BVRGENSium VILLAE DE
[BEV]ERL[A]ci. (fn. 12) It was used at least until the mid
18th century (fn. 13) and was probably the 'old
seal' which was recast c. 1805. (fn. 14) The new seal was
an identical copy except for minor decorative
changes. The matrix has been lost but the seal
is represented by several impressions of the mid
19th century and a cast. (fn. 15) It was said to have
been used 'until recently' in 1895. (fn. 16)
A round seal without a legend, inspected in
1584-5, bore a shield with the quartered version
of the town arms. (fn. 17) A similar common seal was
apparently reserved for the issuing of certificates
by the mayor in 1730. It was also round, 1¼ in.,
and depicted the quartered coat but bore the
legend, humanistic: THE SEALE OF THE T[OWN OF]
BEVERLEY. (fn. 18)
Another seal recorded in 1584-5 was round
and showed a shield with the town arms. Legend,
humanistic: BEVERLAE. (fn. 19) Of a similar design was
a signet used in the 1680s as the seal of the
mayoralty and both then and in 1702 for the
court of record. It was also round, ¾ in., and bore
the arms and a legend, humanistic: BEVERLEY. It
is known from the impressions and a cast. (fn. 20) A
new seal for the court was evidently made later.
It was kept c. 1830 by Thomas Shepherd,
registrar of the court, (fn. 21) and was probably the
seal used by him the same year. The resultant
impressions show it to have been an octagonal
signet, ½ in. wide by 5/8 in. long, depicting a shield
with the town arms surmounted by a decorative
knot. (fn. 22)
A round common seal, 1¼ in., is believed to
date from the 18th century, but is represented
only by impressions of 1847 and a cast. It
depicted a shield with the town arms and bore
the legend, humanistic: THE SEALE OF THE TOWN
OF BEVERLEY. (fn. 23) It was perhaps the silver pocket
seal which was recorded in the late 18th and
earlier 19th century. (fn. 24)
The seal of the corporation as a board of
health, presumably used from 1851, survived in
1986. It was oval, 1 in. by ¾ in., and bore the
town arms inside a belt bearing the legend,
humanistic: BOARD OF HEALTH BEVERLEY. (fn. 25)
Nothing more is known of a brass seal made
c. 1805 and then ordered to be used during the
recasting of the common seal. (fn. 26) A seal presented
by the outgoing mayor in 1865 has not survived.
It bore the legend: THE MAYOR OF BEVERLEY. (fn. 27)
The insignia consist of a large gilt mace and
two serjeants' maces of silver; a gold chain
for the mayor; a double and a single chain,
comprising the former three waits' chains, and
a snuff box, all of silver; and a silver-headed
staff. (fn. 28)
Beverley may have had a mace before its
incorporation in 1573, when a 'lesser mace' of
silver was bought in York for just over £1. (fn. 29) A
macebearer was recorded from 1575-6 and in
1576 the mayor was ordered to be preceded by
his mace. (fn. 30) Another silver mace was made in
York for nearly £6 in 1578 and it was perhaps
that which was described as the great mace from
1596. (fn. 31) The mace ordered in 1630 to be taken
from the serjeants on Sundays to prevent legal
proceedings belonging to the mayor from being
held on that day was probably the great mace. (fn. 32)
It was among the corporation plate taken to York
by a royalist mayor in 1644 but soon afterwards
restored to the town. (fn. 33) It was altered c. 1650,
presumably by the substitution of the commonwealth for the royal arms, and its repair was
ordered in 1691. (fn. 34) The present great mace was
given in 1705 by John Moyser, prospective M.P.
for the town. (fn. 35) Measuring 2 ft. 11 in. long, it
was evidently made c. 1700 and bears the arms
of William III. (fn. 36) The old mace was sold in 17245 and the present one was regilded and restored
in 1890. (fn. 37)
It is not known whether the serjeant's mace
ordered to be bought in 1646 was in fact obtained. (fn. 38) The present serjeants' maces are a pair
carrying the same maker's mark. They are 1 ft.
1½ in. long and bear the arms and cipher of
Charles 1 or 11, besides the town arms.
The town waits were provided with chains or
collars. A shield-shaped badge displaying the
town arms was evidently then, as later, suspended from each chain and the whole was
usually called a shield in the 15th century. Two
chains made of silver in 1424 were remade with
some gold in 1433-4 (fn. 39) and by 1440 there were
three. (fn. 40) They may have been refashioned again
by 1452, when they were described as newly
made, (fn. 41) and in the 1460s each chain had some
40 links. (fn. 42) The chains were repaired in 15023. (fn. 43) The three chains were again recorded in
1577 (fn. 44) but only two remained in 1674. It is not
known whether a third chain ordered to be
bought then or a new one directed to be made
in 1683 (fn. 45) were obtained. Two of the badges were
apparently remade in the reigns of William III
and George I (fn. 46) and by the late 18th century
there were once again three chains. (fn. 47) They were
sold in 1836. (fn. 48) Two were restored to the town
by C. F. Hotham in 1883 (fn. 49) and were joined to
form a double collar, which was worn by the
mayor in the late 19th century and later by the
mayoress. (fn. 50) The third chain was bought back by
the corporation in 1910 and was later worn by
the deputy mayor. (fn. 51) Each chain has c. 40 links,
alternately in the form of eagles and beavers,
both of which also figure in the quartered coat
of arms displayed on the pendant shield, 1⅜ in.
deep by 1¼ in. wide. The single, third chain may
be that bought in the 17th or 18th century, for
it differs from the others in the size of its links
and in the less worn condition of the badge. (fn. 52)
The mayor's chain was subscribed for in
1862. (fn. 53) An enamelled pendant bearing the same
quartered coat of arms as the waits' badges was
added in 1891. (fn. 54)
The oval snuff box, 5½ in. long, was given by
John Jackson, a former macebearer and chamber
clerk, in 1709 (fn. 55) and the worn hallmarks are
apparently of London, 1709-10.
The 6 ft. 9 in. long staff comprises a black
cane with a globular silver head, 7½ in. deep and
bearing worn hallmarks, apparently of London,
1819-20.
Most of the corporation plate was sold in
1836. (fn. 56) Many items, mostly of pewter (fn. 57) and
marked with a beaver, were, however, later
returned or bought back. (fn. 58) The corporation also
received modern plate from various donors.