“Vert
between four Oak Trees eradicated Or a Fesse wavy Argent
charged with a wavy Gules overall upon a Pale also Argent
a Fasces Sable”
The Coat of Arms was designed for the Parish in 1983 and
incorporates many local references.
The
oak trees on a green background are allusions to the
rural nature of the Parish. In addition the “eradicated” – i.e.
uprooted – oak trees also form part of the Arms
of the Lords Rendelsham, since 1799 Lords of the Manor
of Aldenham.
The
central element is an axe surrounded by a bundle of rods,
a Fasces, which since Roman times has been a symbol of
magisterial and civic authority. The axe also appears
in the Arms of Lord Aldenham whose son, Kenneth, was
the Vicar of Aldenham and the first Chairman of the Parish
Council.
The
wavy red line represents Tykes Water, once an important
mill stream or leat, the waters of which turned red as
they collected drainage water from the surrounding clay
land. Some say that this is the origin of the village’s
name, a red mill stream, leat.
Finally
the broad vertical line and wavy horizontal lines, all
which represent respectively Watling Street and the minor
country roads crossing the Parish. This also ties into
another theory on the name for Radlett, i.e. “a
junction of roads”.
|