The Beaumont Project
Beaumont Family Coat of Arms.
Generally but not by any means always, a gold or silver rampant or standing lion is present. (a lion rampant or a lion passant) To complete the description, the lion may be langued and armed. (All the lion's claws are extended and it's tongue is sticking out). The lion may have a star (mullet) or an iconic bird (martlet) on its shoulder. The lion is depicted on a shield which is generally blue or red. The shield is further decorated with fleur-de-lis or crescents which may be evenly spread across the whole backgound in varying densities or there may be a finite number of fleur-de-lis or crescents arranged evenly around the lion.
 A lion rampant armed and langued |
 A lion passant armed and langued |
The crest generally contains a gold or silver lion which is either rampant or standing. (a lion ramp. or a lion passant.)
The most commonly occuring motto is "Erectus no elatus." There are however many other mottos in both French and Latin.
The photo of the family tree in my possession clearly records my leg of the Beaumonts to have a family crest as follows:- Arms - Ermine a lion ramant within an orle of crescents argent. Crest - A lion rampant. Motto - Erectus non elatus.
I also have in my possesion the following image in which there are no silver crescents. The crescents are replaced with gold fleur de lis. Also, the crest has a lion passant not rampant. The crest lion is armed and langued and is standing on a blue and silver chapeau of maintenance coronet. (A chapeau of maintenance is a ceremonial cap of crimson or blue velvet lined with ermine, which is worn or carried by certain persons as a sign of nobility or special honour. It may substitute for the torse in the heraldic achievement of a person of special honour granted the privilege by the monarch. It thus appears in such cases on top of the helm and below the crest.) Furthermore a silver and gold helm and blue and gold mantling is shown.
To add to the confusion is the crest used by the Beaumont Wineries in Botrivier. Sebastian Beaumont is their wine maker and is a direct cousin of mine. They are a winery of considerable repute and make spectacular examples of South African wines. Completely independantly from any research done by me and given that they are 100% direct relations of mine, in a supporting twist, they use the following crest depicting a rampant lion and the motto "Erectus non elatus" on their wine bottles:-
And so to evidence of the coat of arms of my own branch of the Beaumont family. I have the following documents in my possesion:-
- The photo of the family tree in my possession clearly records my leg of the Beaumonts to have a family crest as follows:- Arms - Ermine a lion ramant within an orle of crescents argent. Crest - A lion rampant. Motto - Erectus non elatus.
- Letter from Anna Smith to Laura Howard dd circa 1877 "...Now as a young girl I was expressly made to remember that our family sprang from the 2nd. Son and the crescents were placed in the family arms in commemoration of the Great exploits in the Holy Wars - and I was taught to consider (what I when a child laughed at) seeing a Lion surrounded with half moons as I called the crescents) - that the crescent was more honourable than fleur de lis. So I believe it now therefore as History sets forth the high dignity of our family. I believe your dear nephew Henry de Beaumont to be the direct male heir and I think it might be easily traced as there are not so many years to go back. The present Lord is of the female line - do doubt we are of the Leicestershire family and there the true Arms must exist.- I fancy - ..."
- Extracts of a document from JTB pursuant to a request for information from The Royal College of Arms -
"...In the times of the Knights Templars there was a Preceptory of that Order at a place called Wilbraham (Great & Little) in Cambridgeshire. Some members of the de Beaumonts belonged to that Order, and it is said that there was until recently an escutcheon of the family, corresponding with the Crest Coat of Arms still in use in our branch (i.e. that of the descendants of Richard de Beaumont)
The family was much in favour with the Plantagenet Kings, the de Beaumonts were much at court, and a coronet was granted by Royal favour. The names both of Richard & Henry have been perpetuated in this family chiefly that of Richard, usually as it would seem, given to the heir. The three latest ancestors of Richard Harris Beaumont...
....Coat of Arms - Lion Rampant surrounded by eight Crescents.
Crest - Lion Rampant ("Or")
Motto - "Erectus non Elatus".
N.B. The confirmation of this lies in the fact that the late Mrs. Anna Smith, nee Anna Biden, cousin to Richard Harris Beaumont saw two Silver Cups engraved with this motto crest amongst the possessions of the family and she knew this to be correct...." - The following black and white rendition of the coat of arms is also in my possession:-
Of interest is the fact that unlike the colour rendition two images above, the rampant lion in the crest in the black and white image is depicted on a torse (a twisted roll of fabric laid about the top of the helmet and/or the base of the crest.) The colour image has a blue and silver chapeau of maintenance coronet below the lion. The chapeau of maintenance is consistent with the words " and a coronet was granted by Royal favour." above. In the black and white image the coronet has been simplified and modernised to a torse which is probably blue and silver!
Edward T. Beaumont J.P. in "The Beaumonts in History A.D. 850 - 1850" records the following coats of arms:-
Robert De Bellamonte
He then adopted the Mellent coat of arms viz. Gules A Cinque Foil, Ermine, this shield is still used 'by the borough of Leicester.'
 Gules A Cinque Foil, Ermine |
.gif) Gules A Cinque Foil, Ermine pierced. |
The Leicestershire Beaumonts - The Cole Orton Family
The Cole Orton, Grace Dim, Stoughton, Barrow on Trent and Buckland families all bear the following Coat of Arms: Az., semée de Fleur de lys, a lion, rampant, or. Crest: on a chapeau az. semée of fleur de lys, turned up Erm, a lion, passant, with tail extended or.
Motto:- ""Erectus non elatus"." (Burke's General Armoury.)
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The Suffolk Beaumonts
Coat of arms: Azure a lion rampant within an Orle of eight fleur de lys. Crest: a lion passant or.
Some branches of the family bore. - az. semée with fleur de lys, a lion rampant of the second, on the lion's shoulder a crescent charged with a mullet for difference. Others were differenced with a Martlet or with a Mullet without the crescent.
OR
Coat of arms: Azure semée of fleur de lys, a lion rampant or, on a lion's shoulder for difference a mullet.
The Hadleigh Beaumonts - The Whitley and Kirkheaton Family
Coat of arms displaying Az, semée de lys, a lion rampant, or.
The Yorkshire Beaumonts
Gu., a lion rampant arg. langued and armed az. within an orle of nine crescents of the second.
Crest: a bull's head erased quarterly arg. and gu.
Motto: "Fide sed cui vide." "Trust but see whom you trust".
The: Yorkshire Beaumonts - The Bretton, Bywell Hall, Hexham Abbey And The Oaks, Darton, Family.
Coat of arms: Gules a lion rampant within an orle of 7 crescents arg. charged on the breast with a mullet for difference.
Crest: A bull's head quarterly arg. and gules horned per fesse or. and of the first.
Fairbairn's Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland records the following coats of arms:-
Beaumont, Baron (Stapleton), a man's head couped the shoulders in profile ppr., wreathed about temples arg. and sa.
Motto:- "Mieulx je sera."
Beaumont, Sir George Howland William, Bart., Of Stoughton Grange Leicestershire., On a chapeau az. semée-de-lis or. turned up erm., a lion passant of the second.
Motto:- "Erectus no elatus."
Beaumont of Barrow upon Trent, on a chapeau gu., turned up erm., a lion passant or.
Motto:- "Erectus no elatus."
Beaumont, Francis Henry, of Buckland, Surrey, on a chapeau az., semée-de-lis or. turned up erm., a lion passant or.
Motto:- "Erectus no elatus."
Beaumont, De a demi-lion gardant sa.
Beaumont, Devonshire a stalk or heron, wings expanded arg.
Beaumont, Suffolk a bear's head erased ppr.
Beaumont, Capt Lewis Anthony, R. N., Upon a rock cubit arm erect ppr., Holding in the hand a cross crosslet fitchée sa., and surmounted by a mullet of six points or.
Beaumont, Henry Frederick, Esquire of Whitley Beaumont, Huddersfield, a bull's head erased quarterly arg. and gu.
Motto:- "Fide sed qui vide"
Beaumont, Wentworth Blackett, Esquire of Bretton Park, Wakefield, a bull's head erased quarterly arg. and gu.
Motto:- "Fide sed qui vide"
Beaumont, Wentworth Canning Blackett, Esquire of Bywell Hall, Stockfield onTyne, a bull's head erased quarterly arg. and gu.
Motto:- "Fide sed qui vide"
Beaumont, Wentworth- Blackett, of Bretton Hall, Yorkshire, a bull's head erased quarterly arg. and gu.
Motto:- "Fide sed qui vide"
Beaumont, a bull's head quarterly arg. and gu.
Beaumont, Leicestershire, and Beaumont Hall, Suffolk, an elephant, on its back a tower triple-towered arg., garnished or. (Another, the tower or.)
In the Encyclopædia of Heraldry, Or General Armory of England, Scotland and Ireland Sir John Bernard Burke records the following coats of arms:-
Beaumont (Stoughton Grange, co. Leicester, 21 Feb 1660; since of Cole Orton, of that county, bart., Descended from a scion of the great French house of De Beaumont, and established in England temp. Edw. I. By Henry de Beaumont who was made king of the Isle of Man for life, and summoned to Parliament as a baron) Az. semée of fleurs-de-lis, a lion ramp. or. Crest - on a chapeau az. semée of fleurs-de-lis or., turned up erm. a lion pass. of the second. Motto:- "Erectus no elatus."
Beaumont (Gracedieu,co. Leicester, descended from Thomas, younger brother of Sir John Beaumont, of Coleorton, slain at Towton in 1461; Francis Beaumont, brother of St John Beaumont of Gracedieu, bart. A younger branch of the Gracedieu line still exists, the Beaumont's of Barrow co., Derby, now represented by John Beaumont of that place, Esq. Az. semée of fleurs-de-lis, a lion ramp. or. Crest - on a chapeau az. semée of fleurs-de-lis or., turned up erm. a lion pass. of the second.
Motto:- "Erectus no elatus."
Beaumont (Bretton Hall, formerly of the Oaks in Darton, co. York, represented by the present Thomas Wentworth Beaumont, Esq. Who inherits the extensive estates of the Wentworth's and Blackets). Az. semée of fleurs-de-lis, a lion ramp. or. Crest - on a chapeau az. semée of fleurs-de-lis or., turned up erm. a lion pass. of the second. Motto:- "Erectus no elatus"
Beaumont (Devonshire). Barry of six vaire and gu. (another gu. and vaire.) Crest - A heron or stalk with wings expanded, ar.
Beaumont (Lord of Folkingham). az. florettée a lion ramp. or. a bendlet componée ar. and gu.
Beaumont (Leicester and Beaumont Hall, co. Suffolk). Az. a lion ramp. betw. ten fleur-de-lis or. armed and langued gu. Crest - An elephant surmounted with a tower triple towered ar. garnished or. (Another crest, a lion pass. or.)
Beaumont (Buckland, co. Surrey). Az. a lion ramp. betw. eight fleur-de-lis or. Crest - on a chapeau gu. turned up erm. A lion pass. or.
Beaumont (Yorkshire). Barry of six erm. and gu.
Beaumont Ar. a lion ramp. gu.
Beaumont Ar. a lion ramp. gu. with a label of three points az. each charged with two bezants.
Beaumont Az. a lion ramp. or., armed of the field.
Beaumont Az. a lion ramp. ar. (another, or.), a bend gobonated of the last and gu. (Another, erm. and gu.)
Beaumont Lozengy or. and az. within a bordure gu. plattée.
Beaumont Gu. three bars or.
Beaumont Gu. a cinquefoil erm. (Another, pierced).