Surmounting the device is a Gold Coronet showing thistle
leaves and pine cones, representing the authority of the Community
Council.
The Shield has a diagonal quartering of azure blue and white,
representing the colours of our national flag, the St Andrew's
Cross.
The Upper Quarter shows a Gold Mascule, part of the arms of
the Wardlaw family, one time overlords of the area. It was one of
this family, Bishop Wardlaw, who founded St Andrews University.
The Lower Quartile shows an Open Book, with Gold Pages
indicating a place of higher learning,
Heriot-Watt University and, as the
pages of a book are made from paper, this commemorates the former
paper-making industry of the area.
The other two quarterings show a Celtic Cross. The First
Cross represents the existence of a Christian community for well
over 1000 years: indeed back to the wanderings of St Kentigern in 570
AD. His pet name of St Mungo is recorded in the well at the side of
the walkway along the river. The area also had connections with the
old Order of Chivalry of Knights Templar. The Second Cross
represents the setting up of the Headquarters of the Archdeacons of
Lothian in 1018 AD by King Malcolm Ceannmhor at what we call today the
Lennox Tower, after the recapture of the old Principality of Lothian
from the Angles. The present day Lennox Tower, with its Mary Queen of
Scots connection, was rebuilt on top of the old fortification in the
fifteenth century.
The two crosses together represent the two Clerics of Currie who
became Chancellors of Scotland (Prime Ministers), namely William de
Boco and Sir Robert of Kildeleith who also raised the church in
Dunfermline to the status of an Abbey in 1240 AD and later became its
Abbot. Two other clerics Walter de Wardlaw and William Whitelaw
became secretaries to the King of Scots.
The Gold Crown in the centre of the Shield signifies the area
as being a former Royal Estate. When Marjorie, daughter of King
Robert the Bruce, married in 1315 AD Walter, High Steward of Scotland,
the lands of the Riccarton Estate, which now houses the Heriot-Watt
University, were part of the marriage dowry. It was from this
marriage that the Stewart dynasty started.
The Motto of "Aye Speir an Rede Weel" is in Scots and means
"Always Enquire and Counsel Well" - an alternative meaning
is "Always Enquire and Guard Well".
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