Seven Celtic Nations/Including Norse

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Comment by Lady Boru on April 17, 2013 at 9:36am

Timeline Photos
Unicorns are the heraldic supporters of the Scottish Royal Arms, and an earlier Unicorn was the flagship of the old Scots navy. Almost every Scottish town has a Unicorn carved on the pinnacle of its ‘Merkat Cross’.

There could be few more appropriate ships to preserve in Scotland than HM Frigate Unicorn.

Unicorn’s figurehead represents a Unicorn wearing the heraldic naval coronet, with alternating sails and sterncastles. He supports a gilded cartouche between his front legs bearing the present-day Royal Arms, differenced for use in Scotland, with the Scottish lion rampant in the first and third quadrants, the three English ‘leopards’ courant in the second quadrant and the Welsh harp in the fourth quadrant.

A Unicorn is not simply a horse with a single horn. The mythical Unicorn had the legs and beard of a goat, and the figurehead therefore has cloven hooves. Had his hindquarters been carved, he would have had a lion’s tail!

Comment by Lady Boru on April 16, 2013 at 4:56pm

Comment by Lady Boru on April 16, 2013 at 4:55pm

Comment by Lady Boru on April 16, 2013 at 4:53pm

Comment by Lady Boru on April 16, 2013 at 4:52pm

Comment by Lady Boru on April 16, 2013 at 10:38am

Comment by Lady Boru on April 15, 2013 at 12:41pm

Comment by Lady Boru on April 9, 2013 at 1:05pm

Comment by Lady Boru on April 9, 2013 at 1:05pm

Thanks Sharikee!

Comment by Lady Boru on April 5, 2013 at 4:39pm

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