The Heraldry of England's Nazareth

Arms of Our Lady of Walsingham
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Walsingham, or more properly, "England's Nazareth," is the holiest of places in England where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the Lady Richeldis.  The Shrine of Our Lady has been host to kings and queens, along with countless pilgrims seeking intercession from the Blessed Virgin Mary.  

As I continue to dabble in digital design, I thought it would be best to render the arms of the name of this blog's dedication.  More to point, I've never encountered a digital emblazonment for Walsingham and I rather liked the challenge to see what I could do.  

The emblazonment above is the earliest known coat from the Augustinian priory established in Walsingham.  The arms are blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Sable five Madonna lilies slipped and seeded proper.

Arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady of Walsingham. 
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

In 1945, a grant of arms was made to the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our Lady Walsingham based on the historic coat borne by the Augustinians, albeit differenced of course.  Please click here to read more about the College's grant.  

Processional banner of the arms of the College of Guardians
designed by Chad Krouse, 2025

The arms of the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Walsingham are blazoned:  Argent, on a cross Sable five Madonna lilies slipped and seeded proper on a canton Azure a holy house Or.

Arms of the College of Guardians supported by Our Lady's throne
Concept and rendering by Chad Krouse, 2025

The biggest challenge I had in pulling these arms together was digitally creating an image of the Holy House.  In heraldry, a specifically named object such as the Holy House, is rendered abstractly with only minor detail--enough to provide identification to the viewer.

Banners of arms
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Once I had the Holy House dialed in, I began creating a number of assets, one of which had to be a banner of arms.  Ecclesiastical flags in the Church of England are regulated by the Earl Marshal's Warrant of 1938 which codified a template for flags.  Essentially, a parish flag would use as the basis a white field with the red cross of St. George and differenced by the escutcheon of the diocese in dexter canton (seen in the top flag above).  

However, if one were to simply translate the Guardians' arms into a banner of arms, the result would look similar to my rendering in the flag below--beautiful even if not in compliance with the Earl Marshal's directive.

Arms of The Rev. Alfred Hope Patten
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

No discussion would be complete without mentioning the coat of arms borne by The Rev. Father Alfred Hope Patten (1885-1958), Anglican priest and Restorer of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. 

Impaled arms of Patten with the arms of the Guardians
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

As illustrated in the arms above, Father Hope preferred two black tassels from his galero--the number traditionally indicates the office of a dean.  My rendering of Father Hope's arms are based on an image of his ex libris in my collection.  I love seeing Father Hope's arms impaled with those of the Guardians as he was in many ways the founder of it all.

The blazon for the arms of The Rev. A. Hope Patten: 

Arms:  Lozengy Sable and Ermine, a canton Gules

Motto:  Nulla Pallescere Culpa, Latin for "to turn pale at no crime"

Arms of the National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025

Nearby, the Roman Catholic National Shrine and Basilica of Our Lady of Walsingham uses the undifferenced arms of the Augustinian Priory of Walsingham along with the external ornaments appropriately reflecting its status as a basilica.  Click here to read my proposal for a revision to the arms of the National Shrine and Basilica.