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Click here to go back to the Home Page According to the Heraldry Society coats of arms belong to individuals not surnames. A Coat of Arms is granted to one individual and passes to his descendants in the male line. To find if one has a coat of arms by descent is a matter of family history. It is necessary to trace ones family history as far back in the male line as possible and then see if any one of them in the resulting family tree was granted a coat of arms.
 | | The Coat of Arms of John Touchet, Baron Audley of Heleigh Castle, in the County of Stafford, Earl of Castlehaven and Baron Orier in Ireland. He held these titles between 1740 and 1769. The motto 'Je Le Tiens' translates to 'I hold it'.
The coat of Arms is taken from 'Baronagium Genealogicum' or 'the pedigrees of the English Peers deduced from earliest times.....including as well collateral as lineal descent' Originally compiled by Sir W Segar and continued to 'present times' by J Edmundson with additions by F Hargrave. Published in 6 volumes between 1764 & 1784.
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The Coats of Arms below are based on the descriptions in
'Feudal Coats of Arms' by Joseph Foster
| | The Verdun family held lands, that had been granted directly by the King, in Staffordshire, Warkwickshire, and Leicestershire, and the Verdun family sub-let (or subinfuedated) the Manor of Aldithley (or Audley) in Staffordshire. John de Verdun, who died in 1274 bore a shield, shown to the left and described as 'or fretty gules'. That is a gold shield with a red lattice. Information from; Complete Peerage 12(2) pages 246-8 & Glover Roll B90. | | | | Henry of Aldithley, who died in 1246, had a seal with a fretty shield and his decendants bore a shield described as 'gules fretty or'. That is a red shield with a gold lattice, and shown below. Infornation from; Complete Peerage vol 1 page 337. There are several cases where a vassel (Lord Audley) used the arms of his overlord (Lord Verdun), but with the colours reversed. | |  Verdun coat of arms in stained glass window in the north transept of Ludlow Parish Church Shropshire
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Sir Nicholas de Audley, who was Baron of Heleigh from 1297 - bore at the battle of Falkirk in 1298, a shield described as 'gules a fret (vel fretty) or'. That is a gold interwoven lattice on a red background. The difference between a 'fret' and a 'fretty' can be foundby selecting the following link.
This shield was also borne also by his son James, who was one of the heroes of Poitiers and a founder Knight of the Garter and by William de Audley. Information from Dering Roll. Their coat of arms would be similar to one of the above images. | | | | | | |
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| | | The above is the shield of Sir James Audley who was the hero of Poitiers
| | Hugh and John, differenced their arms 'a bordure argent (F.)': Interpretation 'differentiated their arms with a silver border' .Cotgrave and Jenyns' Ordinary E111 | | Sir Hugh of co. Gloucr differenced his arms with 'a label (5) azure (F.)', Interpretation 'differentiated his arms by adding a blue label of 5 bars'. Cotgrave and Jenyns' Ordinary E111 | | | | | | | 
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| James differenced his arms 'with a label gobony argent and azure': Interpretation' differentiated his arms with blue and silver squares' Cotgrave; and and Jenyns' Ordinary E111. | | Sir James of co. Gloucr differenced his arms with 'a label (3) azure, on each point a lyoncel of the second': Interpretation 'differentiated his arms with ablue label with a lion on the end of each of the three bars' Parliamentary Roll E11 | | Hughe de Audley Earl of Gloucester 1337 - 1347 'or, three chevronels gules': Interpretation 'Three narrow red chevrons on a gold shield'. Nobility Roll H. VI. | | | | | | | The Audley Battle Pennon
| | | The Audley Battle Pennon was carried by James Touchet Lord Audley of Heleigh at the Battle of Blore Heath near Market Drayton on 23rd September 1459. James Touchet Lord Audley was the leader of the Lancastrian Forces in this the first battle of the Wars of the Roses. He was slain in the battle and is buried in Darley Abbey in Derbyshire. A cross was erected after the battle at the place where Lord Audley fell and it still stands to this day. For more information on the Battle of Blore Heath see the Blore Heath website.
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| Audley Coats of Arms at Salisbury Cathedral (click on image to enlarge it) |  | |
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| | Coat of Arms of Edmund Audley Bishop of Rochester 1480- 1492 Bishop of Hereford 1492 - 1502 Bishop of Salisbury 1502 - 1524 'Gules a fret or' On a red shield a gold hollow diamond interlaced with 2 gold strips | | Bishop Audley's Coat of Arms combined with that of the See of Salisbury on the modern alter cloth. | | Bishop Audley's Coat of Arms as a ceiling boss at Audley Chantry |
Other Audley Coats of Arms  | |  | | | The coat of Arms of 'Baron Audley' Thomas Percy Henry Touchet Tuchet-Jesson born 1913
| | The coat of Arms of John Awdeley (left portion) marshalled with that of his wife (right portion) Isabella Mylberry the Illigitimate daughter of Edward IV. Taken from 'Heraldry' written by Henry Bedingfield, Rouge Croix Persuivant and Peter Gwynn-Jones Lancaster Herald | | |
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