Cross of Cerdaña (Disallowed)

The “cross of Cerdaña” is a Society invention; it’s essentially a square set on one corner, with a semi-circular notch in each side.  This cross has been disallowed for Society use.

Rodrigo de Cerdaña bears:  Or, a cross of Cerdaña gules, a chief embattled arrondi azure.

Celtic cross (Accepted)

Equal-armed Celtic cross (Accepted)

The “Celtic cross” is found in Irish stone sculptures, dating from the 5^th Century; it’s characterized by a thin annulet conjoined to the limbs, which are broad and either straight or slightly tapered, extending beyond the annulet.  The most common form of Celtic cross in the Society is Latinate, with an elongated lower limb, but an equal-armed variant is also found.  These remain registerable as “Celtic crosses”.

In the past, the Society has also registered an “equal-armed Celtic cross” that was effectively a cross potent surmounted by an annulet; this form mimics a cross found in period heraldry, the arms of Cardinal St. Marie, 1413 [Conz.Const. lxxi], but with the annulet interlacing the cross potent.  The latter remains registerable, but now is blazoned explicitly as a “cross potent interlaced with an annulet” and treated as two charges.  The heraldic difference between all these forms of Celtic cross is negligible.

Celtic crosses made by adding an annulet to another type of cross (e.g., a “Celtic cross moline”) are considered a step from period practice as of this writing.  Modern depictions of the Celtic cross, where the annulet and cross are thin lines of equal width (like a gunsight) are not permitted.

Siobhan an Lochllanach bears:  Sable, a Celtic cross argent atop a mount Or.

Etain ingen Ghilla Phatraic bears:  Or, a Celtic cross per pale purpure and vert.

Morgana Swansdottir bears:  Or, a Celtic cross equal armed, quarterly pierced and throughout vert.

Seamus Albanach Mac Roibeirt bears:  Bendy sinister sable and argent, an equal-armed Celtic cross gules.

Cross of Canterbury (Accepted)

The “cross of Canterbury” was first found as a piece of jewelry, dating from the 8^th or 9^th Century, excavated in 1867 in St. George’s Street, Canterbury (and now in the Royal Museum).  The design was later carved into the wall of Canterbury Cathedral (SW Transept).  It is the symbol of that religious house.

Sebastian de Grey bears:  Purpure, an owl close affronty and on a chief argent three crosses of Canterbury purpure.

Ginevra Isabella di Serafino Visconti bears as a badge:  A Canterbury cross argent.

Cross of Calvary (Period)

The “cross of Calvary” is a Latin cross mounted on a stepped pedestal; there are three steps (called “grieces” or “degrees”) by default.  If more than three grieces are used, they must be explicitly numbered.  The cross of Calvary is shown in rolls temp. Edward I, as the attributed canting arms of the King of Greece [ANA2 320].  In later period, other cross variants besides Latin crosses were shown atop grieces:  Society heralds would blazon these as a “[variant] cross Calvary.”  Thus Brytton, c.1460, bore what we would blazon a “Patriarchal cross Calvary” [RH]; Gloch, 1605, bore a “Tau cross potent Calvary” [Siebmacher 62]; while Iones, 1610, bore a “cross crosslet Calvary” [Guillim1 212].

Arthur of Ballonesmore bears:  Per bend sinister purpure and argent, two crosses of Calvary and a bordure counterchanged.

Cross of Calatrava (Period)

The “cross of Calatrava” is also called the “cross of Aviz”; it was the insignia of the Knights of Calatrava, an Iberian order founded in 1158 [Spada’s Onori e Glorie: Sovrano Militare Ordine, p.59].  It was originally a highly ornamental form of the cross flory.

The King of Calontir bears:  Purpure, a cross of Calatrava, in chief a crown within in bordure a laurel wreath Or.

Costança Daguiar bears:  Argent, a cross of Calatrava and a double tressure azure.

Aethelwine Aethelredson bears:  Paly of four sable and Or, a cross of Calatrava counterchanged.

Bowen cross (Accepted)

The “Bowen cross” is a Bowen knot turned crosswise, with its loops made angular.  Its name is a Society invention, and the cross itself was originally thought to be unique to the Society; but angular Bowen knots are a valid artistic variant, dating from 1530 [Woodcock & Robinson 149], so the Bowen cross is likewise valid.

Adler des Berges bears as a badge:  Per saltire sable and argent, a Bowen cross counterchanged.

Talan of Skye bears:  Purpure, a Bowen cross and a chief argent.

Cross bottony (Period)

The “cross bottony” or “cross botonny” was an artistic variation on the cross crosslet in medieval heraldry; no distinction was made between them until late in our period (Legh, for instance, gives the crosses their separate names).  Society blazon distinguishes the two for the artist’s sake, but no heraldic difference is granted.

Mary of Greenmeads bears:  Per pale vert and argent, three crosses bottony counterchanged.

Annora verch Llwyd Bryneirian bears:  Azure, five crosses bottony two two and one and a bordure engrailed argent.

William Rufus Guthrie bears:  Per saltire sable and ermine, a cross bottony counterchanged.

Cross barby (Disallowed)

The “cross barby” is named for the barbs on the ends of its limbs.  Parker [159] cites only modern examples of its use; therefore, the cross barby may not be registered until period examples are adduced.

Jessica the Steadfast bears:  Quarterly argent and gules, a cross barby throughout counterchanged, in canton a garden rose gules slipped and leaved vert.

Wulf de Langhemerc bears:  Argent, a cross barby sable and a chief checky sable and argent.

Cross avellane (Period)

The “cross avellane” was described by Guillim, 1610 [191], as resembling the filbert nut (avellana in Latin).  No period examples of its use in arms have been found, but it’s been accepted for Society use.

Fiadhnait ó Ghlinne Alainn bears:  Per fess embattled sable and Or, three crosses avellane counterchanged.