LANGHOLM, Police Borough of (Dumfriesshire).

LANGHOLM, Police Borough of (Dumfriesshire). According to the Edinburgh Eventing Dispatch of 26th October, 1893, has just adopted a seal. It would be difficult to add to the humour of the description, or render more patent the sublime ridiculousness and ignorance of its designer. The description there given is as follows : —

" The above" (see illustration — Ed.) " is a representation of the Seal which has just been adopted by the Police Commissioners of the Burgh. The articles represented on the shield are, with the exception of the sheep or fleece at the bottom, identified with the annual festival of riding the marches at Langholme. On the top quarter is a thistle, in the centre of which is a crown, this crown being composed of flowers, and carried in procession at the Common Riding. On the side quarters are a heather bedecked spade (with which a sod or two is cut each year), and a barley-bannock " (O land of cakes ! ), " with a salt herring nailed across it, and with the letters B.B. on it. This is a representation of the fare with which the natives used to regale themselves, and such a bannock is carried in procession at the Common Riding. The sheep or fleece is representative of the woollen trade, which is the staple trade of the town."

That this design is placed upon an escutcheon (and herein lies its iniquity and absurdity), that the field is azure, and that the before-mentioned charges (save the mark ! ) are separated by a saltire argent, the eloquent description above quoted of course omits to state, probably through the lack of heraldic knowledge on the part of its writer. The legend is " The Commissioners of the Burgh of Langholme." Might the editor be permitted further to remark, that, for a coat-of-arms, this design " takes the cake " ?

Original Source bookofpublicarms00foxd_djvu.txt near line 14552.