‘A feast of heraldry and a thoroughly enjoyable book.’ - The Genealogist’s Magazine

‘Very readable and lavishly illustrated . . . provides the keys to unlock the mysteries of heraldry and its language.’ - Teaching History

Ubiquitous in the fabric of our ancient churches, castles and houses, in documents, and on monuments and stained glass, heraldry represents a treasure house of information for both the historian and the genealogist.

In The Companion to Heraldry, Stephen Friar, an experienced armorist and historian, provides the reader with the keys to unlock the mysteries of heraldry’s language, conventions and traditions. The origins of heraldry and its significance in the lives of our noble and gentle forebears are considered, as are the interpretation of heraldic devices; the systems of marshalling that record affiliation, marriage and inheritance; cadency, by which the younger members of a family may be identified; and the symbols themselves, which often contain obscure references to a family’s history and its fluctuating relationships with the Crown. The conventions of armory are explained, and there is a useful section on the interpretation of blazon, the language of heraldry, complemented with an illustrated glossary.

With over one hundred black-and-white photographs, sixteen pages of colour illustrations and exquisite line-drawings by Andrew Jamieson and John Ferguson, this volume provides a fascinating and comprehensive introduction to heraldry.

STEPHEN FRIAR is a writer and historian. His previous books include A Companion to Heraldry, The Companion to Churches, The Companion to Castles and The Sutton Companion to Local History. He lives in Painswick, Gloucestershire.