Heraldic Borders

Heraldic Borders, or bordures, are the area around the outside of the shield that give the escutcheon emphasis. They can be narrow or wide enough to display heraldic symbols.

Bordures with charges originally alluded to the mother’s side of the family. They can also be a distinct and original bearing. In Scotland, bordures were used within families to differentiate a father and his sons, each having a different pattern on his shield.

When a border is bezant, billet, or similar charges, the number is usually 8, unless some other number has a particular meaning for the person. The standard placement is three across the top, two down each side, and one on the bottom point of the shield.

The variety is plentiful ~

• The Balliol Orle Border is blazoned on many Scottish Seals. The most famous being the Seals of Balliol College, Oxford.
  
  
  Image courtesy John Guillim
  
  
• Bendlet ~
  
  
  Image courtesy John Guillim
  
  
• Bezantee ~ Byzantine Coins
  
  
• Chequy
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Compony ~ small bricks of two alternating colors, usually 16 in number, designating an illegitimate son who has inherited his father’s estate.
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Cordon Ribbon Border, also called Lace d'Amour, and Cordelière)
  
  
  Image courtesy James Parker
  
  

  Lace d'Amour, lace of love, is the silver cord which formed a band on the arms of widows. Anne of Bretagne, widow of Charles VIII, King of France, started a tradition that carried on for many years. Usually a military belt or collar was bestowed to commemorate a husband’s death.

  Anne created a cordon of lace, accompanying them with the admonition to live ‘chastely and devoutly, always mindful of the cords and bonds of our Saviour Jesus Christ’.

  The exact number and shape of knots is arbitrary. In England, this band was rarely painted on funeral achievements.

  
  
  
• Counter Compony ~ small half bricks of alternating colors
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Crenelee
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Dancetté
  
  
  Dancette image courtesy Charles Boutell
  
  
• Diapered ~ covering areas of one color with a tracery design of crosshatches or arabesques
  
  
  Image courtesy John Guillim
  
  
• Dovetailed
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Embattled
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Enaluron ~ charged with 8 birds of one kind. Enaluron is thought to be a corruption of en orle. Though this one only has 6 bats surrounding the shield of Escudo de Santa Fe de Antioquia, the idea is the same.
  
  
  Escudo de Santa Fe Antiquia and bat image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Engrailed
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Entoyer, Entier ~ charged with 8 figures of any kind, except plants or animals
  
  
• Enurney ~ charged with 8 beasts.
  
  
• Fleurs-de-lis ~ 8 charges designate France
  
  
• Gyronny ~
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Indented ~
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• In Orle ~ when small charges are arranged about the border, this is called ‘in orle’, as in the martlets on this DeValance shield
  
  
  Image courtesy John Guillim
  
  
• Invected or Invecked ~ the reverse of engrailed
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Lozengy ~ diamond shapes that are narrower than long
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Naval ~
  
  
  Naval border image courtesy Vector Graphics
  
  
• Nebuly ~
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Plain ~ en Orle
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Potent ~ ‘T’ shaped crutches
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Quarterly
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Raguly
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Rayonee
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Roundel ~ formed with rondel charges
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Seme
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  
• Double Tressure ~ double line
  
  
• Double Tressure Flory, Fleury ~ double line with fleur-de-lis charges
  
  
• Double Tressure Flory Counter-Flory ~ is on Scotland’s Royal Standard
  
  
  Image courtesy Charles Boutell
  
  
• Single Tressure Flory Counterflory
  
  
  Image courtesy Charles Boutell
  
  
• Single Tressure Flory
  
  
  Image courtesy Charles Boutell
  
  
• Urdee, Urdy
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Vair
  
  
  Image courtesy John Guillim
  
  
• Verdoy ~ charged with 8 leaves of flowers
  
  
• Wavy
  
  
  Image courtesy West Kingdom
  
  
• Wheat
  
  
  Wheat wreath image courtesy Vector Graphics
  
  Wheat was used in many borders and wreaths. See Heraldic Wheat for more samples.

  More unique borders ~

  With a medal hanging from an awarded ribbon, the ribbon has been folded to form a bordure on the coat of arms for the Princess of Asturias, Spain.
  
  

  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  Around 1522 AD, Sir John Peche [pronounced peach] has placed a peach branch bordure as a rebus, punning his name, on his shield.
  
  
  Image courtesy Wikipedia
  
  Lichen surrounds this Austrian arms to form this bordure
  
  
  Image courtesy unknown
  
  

Leave Heraldic Borders and
Return to Scottish Wedding Dreams Home Page