Leopards with coronets (?)

 

You'll find three leopards' heads in a triangular shape used in heraldry all over the world, though only in Shropshire can they rightfully be called loggerheads.

Here's an example: this is a photo of some heraldic arms on a gravestone at Hixon St Peter's in Staffordshire.  The grave seems to be that of a 19th-century local dignitary, Enoch Broad. I haven't been able to trace whether these are his personal arms or simply that of the family - or indeed of Hixon itself (maybe).
It's also difficult, because the stone is so worn, to identify the ring round the creatures' heads as a simple circlet, or even a coronet.
You'd think the chevron would be a helpful piece of evidence, but.... not so far.

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Loggerheads-loving guilds

On the first floor corridor of Shrewsbury Museum you'll see a number of historic local maps. One particular old map seems to have been sponsored by the town's guilds (guilds were associations of workers in a particular trade).
Along the top of the map, each sponsoring guild has a copy of its arms - and two stand out in particular for loggerheads lovers. 

The Weavers' Guild (see picture above) are keen to establish their Shrewsbury identity, and feature three loggerheads, the town's symbol.  The leopards carry some sort of tool of the trade in their mouths - perhaps a long needle, a shuttle, or maybe a shed-stick.  (Does anyone know?)
The Goldsmiths (below) are more circumspect, and keep to two loggerheads.

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Heads on the castellations

 

As usual, the shops in Shrewsbury compete with their window-displays to attract shoppers at this (Christmas) time of year.
The Save-The-Children shop in Wyle Cop has picked a Shrewsbury theme, with the iconic gold & blue colouring, and a cut-out of the town's amalgamated skyline... with a loggerheads slap bang in the middle!

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The Leopard tomb

 

This post is a bit of a long-shot, but if anyone has any more information, I'd be glad of it.

This is the Leopard tomb at Haughmond Abbey, a medieval ruin near Shrewsbury. (It's in a lovely spot, still has interesting carvings, and it's free entry, so it's well worth a visit).
The tomb is so-called because it features what experts believe to be the figure of a leopard.  You can't see the leopard in this photo because it chipped off, and is now in the site exhibition.

If you look at the illustration, right, it shows how the leopard fitted into the tomb.

What's interesting is that, while lions were a well-known motif in heraldry, leopards and tigers much less so, especially in England.  So, what would be wonderful to know is whose tomb this is; currently, nobody is sure.
If that information is out there, it might establish yet another connection between Shrewsbury and leopards. 
So - if you have a thought, let us hear it!

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Tennis ball head

 
A fun feature of the ITF World Tennis Tour tournament in Shrewsbury this autumn is the town's Tennis Ball Trail. The idea is to spot the twelve 12 caricature figures, which are all at different locations throughout the town.
This one has two loggerheads on either side of its head. 

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'Hereford loggerheads' in south Shropshire

The East Window at Church Stretton St Laurence Church carries a number of heraldic panels, including these in this photo.  The arms on the left side carry the 'Hereford Diocese loggerheads' - three leopards' heads upside down with fleur-de-lys issuing from the top.  These upside down loggerheads are an integral part of the arms of the ancient see of Hereford.
Church Stretton is in the part of south Shropshire that is in the Diocese of Hereford.

The origin of the Hereford loggerheads is shrouded in mystery. 
The upside-down leopards' heads appear on the arms of the Bishop of Hereford Thomas de Cantilupe (died 1282) - but no one seems to know why the Cantilupe family had adopted them. If you do, let us know!

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Earl Roger the overlord

The tomb of Earl Roger de Montgomery in Shrewsbury Abbey is one of the town's most precious heritage assets.  Earl Roger was the Norman lord who was installed as the first Earl of Shrewsbury by William The Conqueror following the Norman invasion of England in 1066.

It's said that the reason that the traditional colours of loggerheads/Shrewsbury are gold & blue is because there were Earl Roger's colours. In fact, though Roger's wife and his son seemed to have arms of gold & blue bars, I can't find a direct link between Roger himself and any gold & blue colouring.  Can anyone help me find out more about this?

The gold & blue colours-combination has persisted for nearly one thousand years in Shrewsbury.  Today, the town's football club play in these same exact colours!

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