Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a current Scottish pursuivant of arms in Ordinary of the Court of the Lord Lyon.[1]

Unicorn Pursuivant
The heraldic badge of Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms
 
Heraldic traditionGallo-British
JurisdictionScotland
Governing bodyCourt of the Lord Lyon

The title was created after 1381, and derived from the unicorn. One of these beasts is used as a supporter for the royal arms of Scotland, and as a royal badge.

The badge of office is A unicorn couchant Argent, horned, unguled, maned and tufted Or gorged of a coronet of four fleurs-de-lys (two visible) and four crosses pattee (one and two halves visible) Or.[2]

The office is currently held by Roderick Alexander Macpherson. He took part in the Royal Procession at the 2023 Coronation.[3]

Holders of the office

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Arms Name Date of appointment Ref[4]
John Fraser 1426
Adam Wallace of Craigie 1467
William Niven 1500
  Thomas Pettigrew of Magdalensyde 1507
John Balfour 1528
Robert Hart 1543
William Hardy 1554
Alexander McCulloch 1560
Peter Ramsay 1567
Thomas Barrye 1570
Robert Fraser 1585
John Ramsay 1599
James Fuirde 1617
John Borthwick 1619
Thomas Fuirde 1633
George Wight 1635
Andrew Littlejohn 1636
Andrew Aitchinson 1646
William Malcolm 1660
William Hume 1683
  Sir William Erskine of Cambo, Baronet 1707
James Kirkwood 1715
Charles Gordon 1719
William Boyd 1741
James Strachan 1760
Thomas Husband 1764
William Douglas 1764
Robert Grant 1790
David Anderson 1796
David Taylor 1806
James Cook 1825
James Sinclair 1845–1859
Andrew Gillman 1859–1860
Stuart Moodie Livingstone 1860–1902
John Horne Stevenson 1902–1925
Sir John Mackintosh Norman MacLeod, Baronet 1925–1929
Lt-Col. Harold Andrew Balvaird Lawson 1929–1939
  Lt-Col. Gordon Dalyell of the Binns 1939–1953
Vacant 1953–1955
  Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk, Baronet 1955–1961 [5]
  John Inglis Drever "Don" Pottinger 1961–1981 [6]
  Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, Baronet 1981–1986 [7]
  Alastair Campbell of Airds 1986–2008 [8]
  The Hon. Adam Bruce 2008–2012 [9]
  Reginald John Malden 2012–2015 [10]
  Liam Devlin 2016–2021 [11][12]
  Roderick Alexander Macpherson 2021–Present [13][14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Officers of Arms in Scotland". Courtofthelordlyon.scot. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  2. ^ Roads, Elizabeth Ann. "Badges of the Scottish Officers of Arms". The Double Tressure (20 1998): 77–86.
  3. ^ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  4. ^ Grant, Sir Francis James (1945). Court of the Lord Lyon: List of His Majesty's Officers of Arms and Other Officials with Genealogical Notes, 1318-1945. Society.
  5. ^ "No. 17273". The Edinburgh Gazette. 1 April 1955. p. 212.
  6. ^ "No. 17888". The Edinburgh Gazette. 30 December 1960. p. 815.
  7. ^ "No. 20935". The Edinburgh Gazette. 3 July 1981. p. 891.
  8. ^ "No. 22068". The Edinburgh Gazette. 30 December 1986. p. 1955.
  9. ^ "No. 26645". The Edinburgh Gazette. 19 June 2009. p. 2905.
  10. ^ "No. 27082". The Edinburgh Gazette. 17 April 2012. p. 1037.
  11. ^ "The Court of the Lord Lyon -". Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  12. ^ "No. 27666". The Edinburgh Gazette. 20 January 2016. p. 90.
  13. ^ "New Appointments at the Lyon Court". Officeofthelordlyon.blogspot.com. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  14. ^ "unicorn". Courtofthelordlyon.scot. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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