Mascle knot (SFPP)

The “mascle knot” is a Society innovation; it is permitted as a variant of the angular Bowen knot.  Its use is considered a step from period practice, pending documentation.

Leonard the Younger bears:  Gules, within the head of a mjolnir inverted and voided, a mascle-knot argent.

Ligature knot (Accepted)

The “ligature knot” or “surgeon’s knot” appears to be a Society invention; the knot may well have been used by period surgeons, but we’ve no evidence of its use in period armory.

Gareth of Bloodwine Gorge bears:  Sable, in saltire a pen Or, quilled argent, surmounted by a sword inverted proper, all within an annulet knotted in chief by a ligature knot argent.

Lacy knot (Period)

The “Lacy knot” is one of the oldest knot badges, found as early as c.1195 on the counterseal of Roger de Lacy, constable of Chester [Harvey and McGuinness, A Guide to British Medieval Seals, p.52]; the knot is found in carvings at Whalley Abbey, Lancashire in 1296 (built by Earl Henry de Lasci).

Rhiannon of Camrose bears:  Per pale vert and purpure, three Lacy knots Or.

Catiana de Vennes bears:  Argent, three Lacy knots azure.

Hungerford (or Dacre) knot (Period)

The “Hungerford knot”  or “Dacre knot” is sometimes found alone, but is usually found binding other charges together, as in the badge of Lord Dacre of Gilsland, c.1520 [Walden 239].

Magdalena Hungerford bears:  Per saltire vert and Or, a Hungerford knot counterchanged.

Brigid Findlater bears:  Argent, on a bend azure four Hungerford knots palewise Or.

Heneage knot (Period)

The “Heneage knot” was a period badge, granted to Sir Thomas Heneage, d.1595 [Siddons II.2 149].  It reflects the Heneage motto, Fast tho’ untied.

Maut MacAlpin bears:  Per pale vert and sable, a Heneage knot Or.

Hangman’s noose (Disallowed)

The “hangman’s noose” is the loop of rope used in executing criminals by hanging; it was also affectionately known as the “collar” in Elizabethan England.  The loop circles the condemned man’s neck; the knot is tied so as to make the loop difficult to expand.  No examples are known of its use in period armory. Due to its modern use as a hate symbol and tool of intimidation, the hangman’s noose is no longer registerable in Society armory.

Edward von Griffenberg bears:  Sable, a hangman’s noose argent.

Knot of four loops and four tassels (Accepted)

The “knot of four loops and four tassels” is a generic knot, whose blazon is a simple description.  It is defined for Society use in the following armory.

Charles O’Connor bears:  Gules, a knot of four loops and four tassels argent.

Fidelis knot (Disallowed)

The Fidelis knot is a Society invention, as defined in the example armory.  It is no longer permitted to be registered.

Macsen Fidelis bears:  Per bend argent and vert, a black swan’s head erased at the neck proper and a Fidelis knot argent.

Donnelly knot (Disallowed)

The Donnelly knot is a Society invention, as defined in the example armory.  It is no longer permitted to be registered.

Liosliath of Donnelly bears:  Purpure, a Donnelly knot Or.

Cavendish (or Savoy) knot (Period)

The “Cavendish knot” or “Savoy knot” was used as a badge by the House of Savoy since 1362; but it is better known as the badge of Cavendish, Dukes of Devonshire [Woodcock & Robinson 186], though no period examples of its use by that family have been found.  The knot may be called a “figure-eight knot” in non-heraldic contexts.

The Order of the Cavendish Knot, of the Middle, bears:  Four Cavendish knots conjoined in cross vert.