HISTORY OF THE STAFFORD KNOT

Often erroneously called the Staffordshire Knot, the STAFFORD KNOT came into use as a symbol of family identification in the 14th century. Use of this heraldic badge was originally confined to the men and property of the Medieval Earls of Stafford but has also been appropriated both by the borough and the county of Stafford as their distinctive symbol. It has also appeared on the helmets of the North and South Staffordshire regiments, as an emblem of the North Staffordshire Railway and on police helmets. Such a long established emblem inevitably has a legend. During periods of rebellion and riot, design of the knot was attributed by a Stafford sherriff as a way of hanging three men at one time. The Stafford Knot can now be seen in many English counties. It has been featured in the masonry and stained glass of churches and castles. Through marriage lines, the noble "Stafford" name spread throughout the country and the Stafford Knot now features in the heraldic shields of other great families.