Mystery Coat of Arms

[Mercian7]

Hi

I am helping in a project in the British Cemetery in Lisbon, Portugal at present documenting headstones. I have a mystery monument whose inscription has been worn away but it does have a coat of arms. If anyone recognises the family to whom this coat of arms belongs I would be very grateful to know.
many thanks
John

[emeltom]

Have you considered sending a copy of the photo to the College of Arms?

https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/

Emeltom

[Mercian7]

Unfortunately the last time I contacted the College of Arms about my own family they would undertake the task but I would have needed a minor mortgage to pay their fee )

[emeltom]

Sorry. Didn't realise it was that expensive.

Emeltom

[Raybistre]

Looks like 3 Unicorns, not sure about the rest.
Possibilities are RAGLAND and FURRINGTON both have 3 Unicorns in their arms.
I stand to be corrected as I'm not very good with heraldry.
Ray

[Little Nell]

Possibly RIGGES or RYGGES.

Without the colours or seeing if there is an sign of hatching on the carving, there's a lot of guesswork.

The fess (bar across the middle) would appear to be vair and there may be vague vertical lines on the background which might indicate the colour gules (red).

The animals on the shield look like deer, but I can't find a description to fit that.  The Rigges blazon reads:

Gules a fess vair between three water spaniels argent each holding in the mouth a birdbolt or plumed argent

The crest looks like a dog and there are a number of crests for Rigges.  These are just two of them:

A talbot passant gules eared or, holding in the mouth a bird-bolt of the last feathered argent.

a water-spaniel argent, holding in the mouth a bird-bolt or.

But the dog in the picture is seated........
 
Nell

[MaecW]

Could this be one of the Wilkinson family ? Allowing for the lack of colour the combination of a fess vair and the unicorns still stands out.

From: Newton, “A Display of Heraldry” (1846) : Argent a fess vair between three unicorns tripping gules, by the name of Wilkinson.

“THE FARMER HERALDRY AT NONSUCH PARK”  (Somerset)
Records the marriage of William Francis Gamul Farmer, who owned the estate from 1838 to 1860, to a Matilda Wilkinson. Their son bore the arms Farmer impaling Wilkinson. “gules a fess vair between three unicorns trippant argent (Wilkinson) "

SURREY COATS OF ARMS  on  Surrey Heritage quotes the following :

WILKINSON of London, and of Kingston-upon-Thames.Arms:Gules a fess Vairy Or and Sable, in chief an unicorn passant between two mullets Argent.From the monument in Kingston Church to Captain Francis Wilkinson, (d.Feb.12, 1684).

WILKINSON of Streatham Wells, (now the Rookery), in Streatham.Arms:
Gules a fess Vair between three unicorns passant Argent. As cut in stone before 1738 upon the house

WILKINSON Bathurst Edward Wilkinson, JP, of Potterton Hall, Yorkshire, (1834-1901), had issue, amongst others, an eldest son the Rev. Bathurst George Wilkinson, MA (Lennoxville,Canada), (b.1859), Curate of Putney in charge of St. Margaret's, 1912-14; and a 6th son Christopher Dennison Wilkinson of Kiddal, Cobham, (b.1877).(BLG15)   Arms : Gules a fess Vair between three unicorns passant Or. Crest:A talbot sejant Argent amidst rushes proper.

So the shield you have looks to be closely related to the latter Bathurst Edward Wilkinson.

I've had a quick look to see if the Lisbon connection was obvious but didn't come up with anything. Do you have burial records ?

Maec

[KGarrad]

A stag, deer or unicorn described as trippant (Current day spelling) is similar to passant in other animals.

(James Parker; A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry (1894))

[Mercian7]

Thanks MaecW,

There are possibilities here but the unicorns are statant I think instead of trippant. However I have learned a lot from your comments. I have a list of names of headstones and monuments with inscriptions dated 1943 but Wilkinson does not feature in the list. However I will think on this thankyou.