Arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Westminster on the drinking fountain, Violet Hill Gardens
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Westminster on the drinking fountain, Violet Hill Gardens by Mike Quinn as part of the Geograph project.
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Arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Westminster on the drinking fountain, Violet Hill Gardens
Image: © Mike Quinn Taken: 7 Jun 2011
See Image The metropolitan borough of Westminster existed from 1900 to 1965. The arms of Westminster represent two monarchs, closely associated with the City. Edward the Confessor, who rebuilt the church of St Peter (Westminster Abbey), and Henry VII, who added a chapel within the Abbey. The portcullis and rose emblems are derived from the Tudor dynasty - from whom Westminster first achieved its status - and they appear throughout many public and religious buildings in Westminster; the portcullis was adopted by the House of Commons. The supporting lions are adopted from the Cecil family, who had a long association with the borough. The arms were first granted in 1601. The motto "Custodi Civitatem Domine" translates as O Lord, watch over the City. For more info see the Wiki entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Borough_of_Westminster. It's curious that the arms are those of Westminster, because this area was in the former borough of St. Marylebone - as evidenced by the Image
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Image Location
Latitude
51.532954
Longitude
-0.18197