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Thursday 15 July 2010

College of arms

I must have walked past this place dozens of times and not noticed it or realised you could visit. Near St Paul's with the entrance on Queen Victoria St it has been here for centuries.
This is where you go to get your coat of arms if you are important and part of the United Kingdom (except Scotland who has its own organisation) or the Commonwealth.

Not only do they grant new arms but if your family has a coat of arms they can help you trace your family roots. They also have a role in coronations. The purple cushion in the centre of this picture is what the Queen sat on for her coronation, as had previous kings and queens before her.

Today is St Swithins Day

Legend has it that the weather today will set the weather for the next forty days.
St Swithun's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St Swithun's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain no more

Today it is raining! 40 days of this and we'll all leave and go on holiday!

12 comments:

lunarossa said...

Not raining here (yet). Fingers crossed. Love your photo-post. I learn something and exciting every day when I stop by. Ciao. A.

Anonymous said...

speriamo che da voi piove solo oggi .....qui in italia ci sono 40 gradi.....facciamo cambio solo per un giorno? ciao Elisabetta

Elisa said...

I didn´t know either MO.
I´ll put in my list for the next time in London.
Best regards
Elisa, from Argentina

Anonymous said...

cambio per un giorno un giorno eh eh quali nazioni unite .....ogni tanto il pc รจ crazyyy .....ciao elisabetta

jabblog said...

We've had rain here today so no hope for us!
(Hope your computer blues have cleared up now ;-})

Hilda said...

Wish we could have a coat of arms. Hmmm… maybe Spanish I we ever get to trace our roots.

I have to say, the wood paneling is beautiful! I sure hope it's real wood.

I'd like to welcome you to Manila if you ever go on holiday here, but not right now — we're looking at 4 months of rain!

B SQUARED said...

Must be a fabulous place. Just looking thru their records must be very historical.

Gunn said...

I hope we will not have the weather we have NOW, for the next 40 days. ( see "the weather" on my blog...)
Interesting to read about "coat of arms".

stromsjo said...

I could use some of that rain. In my lawn the grass hasn't grown at all for a couple of weeks due to drought and - no doubt - a case of botanic depression.

Karine said...

That's pretty fun sounding place! I would hate to have a snake tied in a knot for my coat of arms though...

As for the weather here, hot and sunny and I have no trouble believing that that will be the trend for the next 40 days since our entire summer has been like this so far!

Mike said...

Mo-Good old St Swithin I really miss that one out here :-)
That said it did rain and since we have a serious drought 40 days etc would be most welcome.

Anna said...

What an interesting find. At first I thought you were looking at toys, but the real story is far better.

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