The arms of the College of Guardians are based on those of the Augustinian Priory of Walsingham dating back to 1510 blazoned,
As the Shrine's restoration began in earnest under the direction of the
Rev. Alfred Hope Patten (1885-1958), the need for armorial identification of the new enterprise would follow.
 |
Armorial flag of the College of Guardians based on the Earl Marshal's Warrant of 1938
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 |
The Rev. Henry Joy Fynes-Clinton (1875-1959) was actively involved with the work of the Shrine and helped petition the College of Arms for a grant. He generously paid the heralds' fees for the grant on behalf of the Shrine.
Following approval from London, Fynes-Clinton wrote an article in Our Lady's Mirror regarding the new arms:
"The ancient arms of the Priory of Walsingham, which can be seen in the window of the Lady Chapel in the Parish Church and elsewhere, can almost be looked on as the Arms of Our Lady of Walsingham. The College of Guardians of the Holy House, as a corporate body owning part of the ancient property of the Priory and formed to carry on its work, might claim a sort of moral right to the use of these Arms. But the use of a Coat of Arms and Crest is limited by strict rules and is under the jurisdiction of the College of Arms, with the authority of the Earl Marshal and the King.
"Feeling, therefore, that it would be proper for the Guardians to have the right to their own arms, one of them has provided the necessary fees and obtained a grant of the ancient Priory Arms with a 'difference,' viz : a representation, in the corner of the shield, of the Holy House. It is a gift in honour of our Benefactress and our Queen" (1945).
Fynes-Clinton rightfully points out that the arms of the Priory of Walsingham, found in the local parish window, were already in existence. As such, the College of Guardians could not rightfully lay claim to those arms. Thus, the arms had to be differenced in order to be granted, and the heralds in London provided a two distinctive marks of differencing with a blue canton and a golden Holy House.
 |
My version of the armorial flag of the arms of the College of Guardians
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 |
Fynes-Clinton continues in the same article:
"In heraldic language the full achievement is: upon a choir mantle azure, lined gules, ensigned on left shoulder with the escutcheon of the college, a shield argent upon a cross sable, five lilies of the first slipped and seeded proper; a canton azure, charged with a Holy House or. Upon a helm mantling of the colours, and crest, issuing from a celestial crown of 12 points and stars, or, three lilies argent seeded or. Motto: Domus Dei: porta caeli. The House of God: the Gate of Heaven.We may regard these arms as the banner under which we all serve Our Lady of Walsingham.
"Let us consider them as emblematic of our devotion :—The silver shield—Our Lady’s purity. The black Cross—Her suffering in the dark hour of the Passion. The five lilies—the five joyful mysteries of the Incarnation in her Rosary. The canton of Mary’s blue showing the Holy House, the 'House of God”, speaking of the lowliness of the Incarnation. The celestial crown of the crest—the glory of her Crowned Motherhood in heaven, and the three lilies—her purity, lowliness and charity. The motto also speaks of earth and heaven— 'Domus Dei', 'This', amongst us, 'is none other than the House of the God-Child'; 'Porta Caeli', 'this is the Gate of Heaven', which we indeed find the Holy House to be as we enter the presence of the mystery of the Incarnation in the Blessed Sacrament" (1945).
Since Father Patten had used an image from the front of the Priory's seal to recreate the statue of Our Lady, it's only fitting that the obverse containing an image of the Holy House should be used in the arms. The detail of the Holy House can be found on the Priory's seal.
 |
Arms of the College of Guardians
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 |
The arms of the College of Guardians are both simple and clear, identifying the corporate body as de facto guardians of the Shrine of Our Lady.
The blazon for the College of Guardians of the Holy House of Our of Walsingham:
Arms: Argent, on a cross Sable five Madonna lilies slipped and seeded proper on a canton azure a Holy House Or;
Crest: Out of a celestial crown points ending with stars of six points, three Madonna lilies seeded and stemmed proper;
Motto: Domus Dei Porta Caeli, Latin for "House of God, Gate of Heaven."
 |
Arms and motto of the Rev. Alfred Hope Patten
Rendered by Chad Krouse, 2025 |
The Rev. Father Alfred Hope Patten (1885-1958), Anglican priest and Restorer of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham bore arms which can also be found in the Anglican Shrine.
 |
Impaled arms of the Rev. Alfred Hope Patten and the College of 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. Perhaps the number reflected his unique office as the restorer and administrator of the Shrine. My rendering of Father Hope's arms are based on an image of his ex libris in my collection.
The blazon of arms for The Rev. Alfred Hope Patten:
Arms: Lozengy Sable and Ermine, a canton Gules;
Motto: Nulla Pallescere Culpa, Latin for "to turn pale at no crime."
I really like seeing Father Hope's arms impaled with those of the Guardians as he was the founder.
Works Cited
