Royal Coat of Arms

Royal Coat of Arms is Still in Boston

May 17, 2018 by cryan.com

In the Massachusetts Old State House are various exhibits where visitors can learn a lot about the City of Boston.

Royal Coat of Arms in the Council Chamber

In the Council Chamber Room, is where the Royal Governor of Massachusetts met with members of his Council. It was where key decisions were made before the American Revolution.

One artifact that people may miss is the Royal Coat of Arms above the door as you enter the room. This is a copy of the lion and unicorn heraldic crest - as it would appear in the chamber room. If you want to see an older version, walk down the stairs to the Keayne Hall. If you want to see the original one - head to New Brunswick Canada.

Four Fun Facts about the Royal Coat of Arms

• One of the original Coat of Arms was taken from Boston in 1775 and now appears over the doorway of the Trinity Episcopal Church, St. John New Brunswick. It was removed by the Revolutionaries to protect it from being damaged. It was brought to Halifax by Edward Winslow. Several requests have been made to return the Coat of Arms back to Boston but have been denied by the church.
• On the USS Constitution are some guns with the British Royal Coat of Arms.
• The Lion and Unicorn on the roof of the Old Massachusetts Statehouse are the same used in the Coat of Arms, a simple reminder of the past. The original Lion and Unicorn were burned in 1776. The ones currently on display were placed in 1882.
• The Royal Coat of Arms was once placed on the building at 17 Market Place. (Next to Faneuil Hall)

Sign next to the Coat of Arms in the Keayne Hall