college crests

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Just for fun, and cos I'm bored - would anyone like to suggest a good source for explanations of college heraldry, or indeed attempt an explanation of the crests, in particular pembroke, cambridge, or worcester, oxford.

Reply 1

BazTheMoney

Here's the Worcester one...

Reply 2

DC_1234

hjs

The individual college websites would seem a good place to start. That or the Wikipedia.

Reply 3

davey_boy

BazTheMoney

Here's the Worcester one...

Those birds are meant to be legless.

No it isn't a sign of the general regard females at Worcester have towards alcohol - there's some mythical greek bird that has no legs. It has to spend all its time flying making it exceptionally fit and hard-working. Aparently whoever it was who refounded Worcester (it was originally Gloucester college but got closed down by Henry VIII when he abolished the monastories) has these birds on his family crest and decided they'd be a good emblem for the college. No idea about the stripes. Or why the college colours are the particularly hideous pink and black.