RGS Newcastle official grant of the coat of arms, by the College of Arms, 1931. RGS Archives.
The Coat of Arms
The RGS Coat of Arms is one of our most iconic and instantly recognizable symbols, proudly displayed across our school buildings, uniforms, and website.
Yet, despite our 500-year history, the school only received its official Coat of Arms less than a century ago. Curious about how this emblem became a cornerstone of our identity? Read on to discover the fascinating story behind our iconic shield.
The RGS Coat of Arms was officially granted to the school on 11th November 1931, following a generous purchase of the patent by Sir Arthur Sutherland, the Chair of Governors. It was designed and assigned to us by the College of Arms, the official heraldic authority for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and much of the Commonwealth.
RGS Newcastle official grant of the coat of arms, by the College of Arms, 1931. RGS Archives.
The original patent is preserved in the RGS Archives. It remains a striking and vibrant piece of parchment, housed in its original red presentation box, complete with three golden seals. The vivid colours of red, blue, gold, and silver reflect the school’s legacy and prestige, and the Coat of Arms continues to be a central symbol of our identity today.
RGS blazer pocket, two coats of arms embroidered (1919) [RGS Archives, ref: RGS/OBJ/1/5/1]
RGS Newcastle official grant of the coat of arms, by the College of Arms, 1931. RGS Archives.
The Double BadgeBefore this, the school did not have its own distinctive heraldic emblem. Since the 1880s, we had used the 16th-century Arms of England alongside the Arms of Newcastle upon Tyne, a combination that can still be seen on early tasseled school caps. At the time, the school’s motto was Progrediendum est, meaning "We must advance" or "We must progress”.
The 1931 Coat of Arms encapsulates the school’s name, founding, and location. With its introduction came a new motto: Discendo Duces, meaning "By learning you will lead."
RGS Newcastle official grant of the coat of arms, by the College of Arms, 1931. RGS Archives.
A Guide to Heraldry
A coat of arms is made up of both the visual design and the blazon - which means description of the design. The terms used are a traditional aspect of heraldry.
Blazon
Gules a Tower triple towered and in chief of the second two Horses’ heads erased argent On a chief of the second Argent a Torteau charged with a Lion passant guardant Or between two Hurts each charged with a Fleur de lys of the third.
Translation: On a background of the colour red, are a tower with three turrets, and two horses’ heads, all in silver colour. On a bar across the top of the shield are a red circle emblem with a gold ‘leopard of England’ shown walking along. On each side of this circle are two further circles in blue, each with a gold fleur-de-lys (lilies of France).
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Argent | Silver |
| Azure | Blue |
| Chief | Top bar across the shield |
| Erased | Cut with an uneven edge |
| Guardant | Head (of animal) facing to the front |
| Gules | Red |
| Hurt | A roundel, or disc shape, in blue |
| Or | Gold |
| Passant | Walking along |
| Torteau | A roundel, or disc shape, in red |
Source: Institute of Heraldic & Genealogical Studies, ‘Glossary of Heraldic Terms’ (2023), https://ihgs.ac.uk/files/1556-1-1.pdf
Symbolism
Leopard & Fleur-de-Lys
The leopard of England and the fleur-de-lys are both symbols from the Royal arms of Elizabeth I. They commemorate the re-foundation of the school by the Queen in 1600, when we received our ‘royal’ status. The use of even a part of the Royal arms is a great privilege.
Horse
The horses’ head symbolises our founder, Thomas Horsley. His own family coat of arms has three silver horses’ heads on a red background.
Castle
The castle marks the significant relationship between the city of Newcastle and the school. The city’s coat of arms contains three silver castles on a red background.