Meaning of the Staffordshire Knot (properly known as the Stafford Knot)

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The the three loop knot has long been used as a symbol of Staffordshire and many Stoke-on-Trent potters used it as part of their marks.

Godden in his revision of Jewitt's 'Ceramic Art of Great Britain 1800-1900' comments:

"Many nineteenth-century printed marks are based on stock designs - variations of the royal arms, a garter-shaped mark or the Staffordshire knot (both the garter and knot with and without a crown). The knot can occur from about 1845. It was much used in the 1870's and 1880's and continues, in some instances, to the present day. These marks might be found with the initials or names of the relevant manufacturers."

 

 

The motto of the arms of the County of Stafford is "The Knot Unites". The arms of the city of Stoke-on-Trent  with the Stafford Knot (from the Tunstall arms) Motto - "Vis unita fortior" Translation - "United Strength is Stronger"   The old Tunstall borough arms The Stafford family standard illustrated here features the swan badge believed to have been used by the family from their earliest days in England (they were of the richly rewarded de Tosny castle building clan that came across with Duke William), and the famous Stafford knot. The cross of St George placed next the hoist was usual in the Middle Ages for Englishmen. The addition of mottoes came in the later Middle Ages.   Coat of Arms of the Borough of Stafford The Stafford Knot The origin of the Stafford Knot is shrouded in the mists of antiquity, but it can be said that the somewhat barbaric tale of a certain sheriff who invented it to hang three criminals with one rope at the same time, may be dismissed as an effort of the imagination. The earliest authentic appearance of the Stafford Knot is on the seal in the British Museum, and this was the property of Joan, Lady of Wake, who died childless in 1443. Her personal possessions passed to her nephew, Humphrey, Earl of Stafford, who adopted the Knot of Rope, henceforward to be known as the Stafford Knot, as his badge, probably just preceding his creation as Duke of Buckingham in 1444. That he did adopt it from his Aunt is undoubted and she, being a direct descendent of Hereward the Wake, may have had it handed down to her from past generations, through many unknown but doubtless - romantic circumstances. The Duke of Buckingham and his descendants used this Stafford Knot as personal cognizance. It did not form part of their armorial bearings, which were personal to themselves, but it was their badge and they gave the knot of rope to their retainers and servants as a livery and means of recognition. The townsmen of Stafford were leigemen of the Stafford family, and as such also used this badge. As the days of feudalism passed and individual and civic liberties grew, it was gradually adopted by the Citizens, Freemen and Burgesses until ultimately it was included in the Borough Coat of Arms. Even following Local Government Reorganisation in 1974, the Stafford Knot still appears on the Coat of Arms of the new Stafford Borough. Information provided by Stafford Borough Council

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 6 Feb 2003