^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Aberchirder and Marnoch Community Council, Scotland (United Kingdom)

image located by Valentin Poposki, 25 June 2021

Aberchirder and Marnoch Community Council
Coat of arms

Aberchirder and Marnoch Community Council

The flag of the City of Aberdeen is red with a white double tressure, flory-counter-flory (as in the Royal Arms of Scotland), with three white castellated towers, arranged two on the top and one below. This is a banner of arms as is customary in Scotland. Neither the supporters (the leopards) nor the motto ("Bon Accord") would be shown on the flag.

You can see the arms at http://www.bng.nl/ngw/int/gbr/scot/aberdee.htm.
Graham Bartram, 17 January 2001

Coat of Arms

image located by Valentin Poposki, 25 June 2021

Presentation of Coat of Arms and Flag to Aberchirder and Marnoch Community Council on Saturday 11 September 1999.
http://www.foggieloan.co.uk/42arms/coat_of_arms.htm

"The Origin of the Arms:
In 1998 Robert Bremner, the last of the fourteen Provosts of the Burgh of Aberchirder, made enquiries as to whether Aberchirder had ever obtained a coat of arms, and discovered that it had not.

Designing the Arms:
Aberchirder and Marnoch Community Council then applied for a coat of arms. With the assistance of Charles Burnett, Ross Herald at the court of the Lord Lyon, and heraldic expert Gordon Casely, a group of members of the Community Council and the Local History Group produced a set of draft designs which incorporated emblems representing three of the key periods in the history of Aberchirder and Marnoch. After public consultation one of the draft designs was adopted and an application was made to the Lord Lyon, King of Arms, who granted Letters Patent in November 1998. These describe the arms in heraldic terms as follows: Tierced in pairle reversed; 1st Or, two croziers in saltire Azure; 2nd Azure, a boar’s head couped Or; and 3rd Argent, a cross pattee Azure.

Two croziers represent St Marnan, a Celtic missionary who founded the parish of Marnoch in the 7th century.
A boar’s head represents Alexander Gordon of Auchintoul who founded the town in 1764.
A cross pattee was used on the burgh seal of the Town Council which existed from 1890 until 1975.
The motto Aye Foggieloan perpetuates the traditional name for the town.

The Presentation:

The formal presentation of the Letters Patent to Aberchirder and Marnoch Community Council took place on Saturday 11 September 1999 in the Square, the traditional location for celebration of national and local events. A parade of local people, headed by the Turriff Pipe Band and a detachment of thirty Lonach Highlanders in full uniform bearing pikes marched through the streets from McRobert Park to the Square, where invited dignitaries and guests were seated on and around a dais. After Leslie Chalmers, the Chairman of the Community Council, had made a speech of welcome, Ross Herald proclaimed the grant of arms which he then handed over to the Chairman of the Community Council. A flag bearing the arms produced by Dr Patrick Barden, Scotland’s leading heraldic flagmaker, was broken by ex-Provost Bremner accompanied by 11-year-old Gary Harris and then blessed by Rev Alison Jaffrey. Thereafter the salute was taken by James McPherson, the Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire, and the parade marched down Main Street and along North Street to the Memorial Hall. Here the community was treated to refreshments and a display, organised by the Local History Group, of items relating to the symbols on the coat of arms. The Letters Patent were also put on view. The flag is now flown at all community events."

Valentin Poposki, 25 June 2021