MYSTERY OF AN OLD COAT OF ARMS IN THE OLD MAGISTRATES COURT, PETERSFIELD
(Story by kind permission of Ms. J.Thompson-Lewis, Petersfield Museum)
Story supplied by Wilf Burnham

It is not known how this Coat of Arms survived from the time of Charles II - or even what its origins are. It was believed to be a Royal Coat of Arms, but that has turned out not to be so.
It has arrived here in what could well have been long and complicated travels, in serious need of restoration and repair. Added to which, the colours of the arms appeared incorrect and were painted with inferior paints.
But the museum, run by volunteers, had insufficient funds to pay for such an expensive process. However, a white knight arrived in the form of the Hampshire Museums Service, which kindly agreed to carry out the work. They also thought it would be an interesting and unusual project for their experts.
In the words of Mark Holloway, who carried out the work, "it has been rather a protracted job but it has not proved a straight forward job from the start, every turn seems to throw up more questions than answers!".
After the layers of paint had been removed to reveal the original beneath, it was found that the motto at the foot of the arms was not the Royal "Dieu et Mon Droit", but "Per Mare Per Terras" (by sea and by land), which had been covered during the re-paint. At first the motto was taken to be the motto of the Royal Marines (first created in Charles II's time). But the Royal Marines Museum pointed out that the Corp first started using "Per Mare et Terrain" (by sea and land) in 1775. There had later been variations on this, but never "Per Mare Per Terras".
"Per Mare Per Terras", is the motto of the MacDonald family (ref. Burke's), but no connection to them seems likely. The College of Arms in London believe that the coat of arms was meant to represent those of Charles II, but had origins elsewhere. However, the diagonal bar running across the arms could represent a Royal connection, as such a bar or baton was used as a mark of difference for the illegitimate children of Charles II.

THE PETERSFIELD COAT OF ARMS BEFORE (left) AND AFTER (right) RESTORATION

Another clue to the possible origins is the Ducal crown - not a Royal one - that adorns the lion's head. The eldest son of Charles II's mistress, Barbara Villiers, was Charles, Duke of Cleveland and Southampton. He was born in 1662, created a Knight of the Garter in 1673 and Duke of Southampton in 1675, becoming Duke of Cleveland at his mother's death in 1709. She had been created Duchess of Cleveland in 1670.

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