The heraldic ‘Dolphin’ motif of Bocking
Here we explore the heraldic roots of the ‘Bocking Dolphin’ and place it alongside the other symbols associated with the parish’s present day arms.
ARMS: Azure a Cross between, in the first and fourth quarters a Dolphin naiant, in the second a Fleur-de-Lis, and in the third a Woolpack, all Argent.
CREST: On a Wreath of the colours a Dolphin naiant Azure, charged with a Chevron couped Argent.
MOTTO: Consilio et Concordia (‘By Counsel and Good Fellowship’)
The white cross on blue is an allusion to the arms of the Priory of the Holy Saviour at Canterbury (still in use by the Dean and Chapter), which was given authority over the church at Bocking by the Saxon Atheric Worthfulman and his wife Leofwin in the year 1006. Bocking is therefore referred to as a ‘peculiar’ of Canterbury – directly administered by the Archbishop rather than what is now the Diocese of Chelmsford.
The dolphins
(which look more like fish in their stylized heraldic form!) are from the crest of William Courtnay, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1381 to 1396. The original seal of Bocking Deanery, which dates from this time, took a cross between four such dolphins; it was in relatively recent times that the second and third quarters were filled with other symbols connected with the parish. The Courtnays (Earls of Devon) adopted a dolphin, the symbol of Byzantium (the lands of the eastern Roman Empire), to broadcast their connection with that maritime power, a descendant of the Courtnay family having once been emperor. The Bocking Dolphin can now be spotted adorning many areas of the parish, including the lamp-posts on Bradford Street Bridge.
The silver fleur-de-lis in the second quarter is a reference to the arms of the Courtaulds (illustrated left), a prominent merchant family who made Bocking parish their home for four generations.
The woolpack in the third quarter refers to weaving and spinning, which has been practiced in Bocking since Saxon times. In 1304 Flemish craftsmen were introduced into the town, and under their guidance Bocking grew to be one of the greatest weaving towns in the country.
The chevron (placed on the blue dolphin of the crest) commemorates the Doreward family.
William Doreward in 1362 created the town’s first school by endowing a chantry chaplain, and in 1392 his son John added to the endowment. Another John Doreward was speaker of the House of Commons and Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire in 1425. He gave the town the “Maison Dieu”, or hospital, now called the almshouses, which are beside the river south of the church. The chevron is a very common heraldic device, and also occurs in the heraldry of many other families connected with the village.
Bocking Parish Council has the distinction of being the first such body to be granted heraldic bearings, following an unprecedented application to the College of Arms in 1926. This was short-lived however, as the parish was amalgamated with Braintree Urban District Council in 1934.
Dolphin Appearances
45 Church Lane, Bocking
Bradford Street Bridge
Where have you spotted the Bocking Dolphin?
A Brief History
The local history of Braintree begins at least 4,000 years ago, the earliest concentrated settlements being near the River Brain in the Skitts Hill area, and around the present crossroads at the junction of the A120.
The Bocking ‘Dolphin’
The heraldic ‘Dolphin’ motif will be a familiar site to many residents of the Bocking area, and has an interesting story behind it. This information sheet explores the heraldic roots of the ‘Bocking Dolphin’ and places it alongside the other symbols associated with the parish’s present day arms
Braintree Railway
As early as the mid-1800's, a new railway line had been constructed which was to eventually run from Braintree to Bishops Stortford, isolating the original railway terminus building, a small single story wooden structure, which remained in use as a builders merchant office.
Braintree Town Hall
A gift from William Julien Courtauld, Braintree Town Hall was opened on 22nd May 1928. In the speech made on behalf of William Julien Courtauld by the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, it was stated that “there should be in this town something by way of a building that would be a record in the history of the town and a starting point for greater municipal work. That was Mr Courtauld’s object in giving this handsome Town Hall.”
History of Caring For The Sick in Braintree
Most towns and villages in the Braintree
District would have been reasonably small with
fewer inhabitants than today. Therefore there
would have only been a local doctor needed to
treat the sick.
The first hospital was founded in London in 1123 and by 1700's there were only 5 hospitals in the whole country.
History of Braintree Police
Braintree’s first Police Station was built on a plot of land purchased from Mr. Laver a local builder who also built the station for £1,060.
It was of sound construction and the windows had sash shutters that were used to give privacy. There was a house for the Superintendent’s family and cottages for the constables.
History of Braintree Fire Service
In 1632, Braintree was one of the first places in the UK to have a “fire engine for the common good of the parish to quench fires”.
Many local authorities in Essex worked together with the insurance companies offering fire protection service for their community. Equipment would have ranged from buckets to beaters to a manual pump.
