Lancaster Herald

Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an English officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The title of Lancaster Herald first occurs in 1347 at Calais, and to begin with this officer was a servant to the noble House of Lancaster. As a retainer of John of Gaunt (1377–1399) Lancaster was advanced to the rank of King of Arms, and was later promoted to the royal household of Henry IV (Gaunt's son), and made king of the northern province. This arrangement continued until 1464, when Lancaster reverted to the rank of herald. Since the reign of Henry VII (1485–1509) Lancaster has been a herald in ordinary. The badge of office is a red rose of Lancaster, royally crowned.

Lancaster Herald

The heraldic badge of Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary
Heraldic tradition	Gallo-British
Jurisdiction	England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Governing body	College of Arms

Adam Tuck, as Rouge Dragon, at the 2022 State Opening of Parliament

The current Lancaster Herald of Arms is Adam Tuck.

Holders of the office

Arms	Name	Date of appointment	Ref
Lancaster Herald to the Earl or Duke of Lancaster
	Herman (surname unknown)	(1354)
	John (surname unknown)	(1358)
	Nicholas (surname unknown)	(1366)
	Roger Durroit.	(1386)
	Richard Bruges	(Richard II)
Lancaster King of Arms in Ordinary
	Richard Bruges	(Richard II)
	John Ashwell	(1426)
	William Boys	(1436)
	William Tyndale	(1447)
Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary
	James Collier or Collyer	(Edward IV)
	Richard Ashwell	(Edward IV)
	(name unknown)	(1486)
	Thomas Wall	1509–1526
	William Jennings or Jenys[a]	1526–1527
	William Fellows	1527–1531
	Fulk ap Howell[b]	1531–1536
	Thomas Milner[c]	1536–1538
	Nicholas Tubman	1553–1559
	John Cocke	1559–1588
	Nicholas Paddy	1588–1602
	Francis Thynne	1602–1609
	Nicholas Charles	1609–1613
	William Penson	1613–1637
	Thomas Thompson	1637–1641
	William Ryley	1641–1658
	George Barkham	1658–1660
	William Ryley	1660–1665
	Robert Chaloner	1665–1676
	Francis Sandford	1676–1689
	Gregory King	1689–1712
	Rowland Fryth	1712–1713
	John Hesketh	1713–1727
	Stephen Leake	1727–1729
	Charles Greene	1729–1743
	Thomas Browne	1743–1761	[5]
	Sir Isaac Heard	1761–1774
	Thomas Lock	1774–1781
	Charles Townley[d]	1781–1793
	Edmund Lodge	1793–1822	[6]
	George Frederick Beltz	1822–1841	[7]
	Sir Albert Woods	1841–1869	[8]
	George Edward Cokayne	1870–1882	[9]
	Edward Bellasis	1882–1922	[10]
	Archibald Russell	1922–1954	[11]
	John Walker	1954–1968	[12]
	Sedley Andrus	1972–1982	[13]
	Sir Peter Gwynn-Jones	1982–1995	[14]
	Robert Noel	1999–2021	[15]
	Adam Tuck	2023–present	[16]

See also

• Heraldry
• Officer of Arms