In 1575 the Borough of Cambridge received a charter from Queen Elizabeth 1 granting the town its own coat of arms. The original charter carrying the coat of arms, which brings together many of the elements that make Cambridge distinctive, is still in the safekeeping of the Guildhall.
Cambridge’s coat of arms depicts a shield decorated by a bridge over a river with three sailing boats, their sails furled. The shield is topped by a castle and flanked by a pair of magnificent seahorses. Below the castle is a helmet from a suit of armour and above the bridge are two roses and a fleur-de-lis signifying Cambridge’s royal connections.
Along with an array of items telling the story of Cambridge as an important centre for local and regional government and an international seat of learning, the original 1575 charter will be shown to the public during a talk, The Civic Insignia and Historic Charters, at the Guildhall on Friday 7 September and Saturday, 8 September, 11am to 12.15pm.
Even earlier than the 1575 charter is the charter that granted the Borough the right to appoint its first Mayor. It was issued by King John and dates from 1207, several decades before the establishment of the first of the Cambridge Colleges, Peterhouse, in 1284.
The role of Sergeant-at-Mace in Cambridge goes back at least 600 years with the first Sergeant-at-Mace recorded in 1404. A mace is essentially a hand-held weapon designed to be used by a sergeant or constable in keeping the peace. As weapons, maces became redundant when the arrival of gunpowder saw the development of fire-arms. The mace then became primarily a ceremonial item symbolic of the power of the Mayor as the most important person in the Borough.
Cambridge acquired city status only in 1951. Once again, this was bestowed by a Royal Charter. The monarch who granted it was George VI, father of the present Queen, and the bells of Great St Mary’s church were rung in celebration.
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