About us

Originally the duties of the Heralds did not relate to armory or the control of the use of Arms in Scotland. The duties of the Lord Lyon and the other Heralds were more ambassadorial in nature and these functions remain, although much changed, in the ceremonial duties undertaken today. The Officers of the Court are the Lord Lyon King of Arms and the Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records, both appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the First Minister. There is also the Lyon Macer who appears on judicial occasions bearing the mace of the Court. The organisation of the office of the Lord Lyon is regulated by a number of Acts of Parliament, the most important being an Act of 1672 which established the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland and an Act of 1867 which made alterations to the regulation of the Office. The relevant statutes can all be found in the Documents section of this website.

The Heraldic Badges of the Court Officers

The Court of the Lord Lyon

Scotland’s Heraldic Authority

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Lyon Clerk Herald Painter

Procurator Fiscal Lyon Macer

The Act of 1867 also allows for there to be a principal artist, the Herald Painter, who is responsible for overseeing the artistic standards of a team of free-lance painters. There is an independently-appointed Procurator-Fiscal who is appointed by the Scottish Ministers to decide whether to bring prosecution relating to the illegal use of Arms before the Lord Lyon for judgement. Neither the Lord Lyon nor the Lyon Clerk is involved in determining whether a coat of arms is illegal until a case is brought although the Lyon Clerk can advise if a design could lead to difficulties.

The Lord Lyon King of Arms

The Lord Lyon is responsible for granting new Arms, an administrative function from which there is no appeal other than seeking Judicial Review, and the matriculation of Arms, a judicial function from which there is appeal directly to the Court of Session and ultimately to the Supreme Court. Such appeals are very uncommon as the majority of petitions seeking matriculation or a re-recording of existing Arms are not contested and it is only exceedingly rarely that more than one person believes they are entitled to the same Coat of Arms and the case becomes subject to a formal judicial process.

The Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records

The Lyon Clerk is responsible for the execution of Letters Patent granting new Arms and Extracts of Matriculation regarding the re-recording of Arms, and for the maintenance of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland and other Registers.

Officers of the Lyon Court

Lord Lyon King of Arms: Dr Joseph J. Morrow CVO, CBE, KStJ, KC, LLD, DL, FRSE Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records: Russell Hunter Esq. Herald Painter: Ms Clare McCrory Procurator-Fiscal: Alexander Green Esq. Lyon Macer: David Walker Esq. Petitions Manager: Ms Jacqueline Higginson Ceremonial & Development Officer: Miss Fiona Mackay Office Manager: Kevin Greig Esq. Honorary Vexillologist: Philip Tibbetts Esq Honorary photographer: Edward Mallinson Esq.