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Gules is the principal
colour of the armiger’s father's arms, Vert that of his mother, and a
lion appears on both of them. This lion holds an ankh, the ancient
Egyptian symbol of divine life. Against the Azure colour of the night
sky, the constellation of the Great Bear, in silver stars, represents
the ancient Greek legend of Callisto and Arcas, also reflected in the
Little Bear of the armiger’s Badge, and in the motto, "I arise in the
Seven Stars [of the North]."
The name of the Barony
of Rachane, which is on the Rosneath Peninsula in Argyll, is derived
from the old Gaelic “Rathain”, meaning "a ferny place", thus the two
ferns on the crest. The silver wolf, along with the Great Bear,
represent the imperilled, spiritual, and mythical significance of
these animal species, and of all such creatures generally.
The rescue,
caretaking, and support of injured, abandoned, and endangered animals,
both domestic and wild, has been a lifelong commitment of the armiger
and his wife. They are members of and contributors to many
humanitarian societies and foundations, both within and without the
United States, and desire to make the Barony of Rachane a principal
vehicle for such benevolence. |
