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Holy Trinity Milton Regis

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The Manor of Milton & the Wyvern

Volunteers at the Court Hall Museum, Milton Regis, now know where the mythical monster, the Wyvern, comes from and why it is the town's emblem.

The museum team were asked by Swale Borough Council for help in interpreting the history of the Royal Manor of Milton.   Team leader Bob Baxter said the one thing that puzzles them was how the Wyvern device cropped up repeatedly in the Milton and Sittingbourne area.   One forms the weather cock on St. Michael's Church, another is carved above the old library door in Milton High Street and yet another adorns the bailiff's rod of office in the museum.

The Wyvern also appears on the badges of Westlands School and the ancient Milton Regis Bowls Club.   The Wyvern Hall in Sittingbourne is a well known entertainment centre.   It was also depicted on the coat of arms of Milton Regis and of the former Sittingbourne and Milton Urban District Council.

So where did the beast come from?   Study of the records revealed that King James I granted the Royal manor of Milton in 1610 to Philip Herbert, Earl of Montgomery, presumably in turn for services rendered to the Crown.   The crest of the coat of arms of the Herbert family whose family seat was at Powys Castle in Wales consisted of a Wyvern.   We assume, therefore, that the Milton Regis Wyvern originates with the 17th century lords of the manor of Milton.

reprinted from KM Extra. October 23, 1998. p. 15.

Wyverns

Wyverns are the most common of the draconic heraldic symbols.   They are seen almost as commonly as birds, and they are numerous in design.   Since most wyverns were depicted as evil dragons in bestiaries, which were widely circulated at the time of the adoption of coats of arms, the fact that so many families adopted them as their symbol is not yet fully understood.   However, the wyvern is most notably show as a creature of valor and protection, and, as most dragons in the past, also believed to have great eye sight.   In another light, the wyvern is also a symbol of vengeance or may have been acquired through a family member's slaying of a dragon.   The wyvern was, most probably, believed to be a symbol of power and strength, which was important in battle.   However, very little about wyvern crests and their symbolism have been recorded.

The crest, however, does represent dragonkind as it was believed in those times.   Scales, a forked tong, a spiked back, and a whip-like tail make this creature quite formidable.

Herbert Name History

The name Herbert reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Herbert family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066.   Herbert is an Old French given name, originally derived from the Old German name Hariberct or Her(e)bert.   This Germanic name contains the elements "harja" which means "army" and "berhta," which means "bright".   This given name was borne by St. Herbert, who lived from about 970 until about 1021.

During the Middle Ages, personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries became widespread in most European countries.   Spelling variations of this family name include: Herbert, Herbit, Herbutt and others.   First found in Suffolk where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Elizabeth Herbert, who settled in the Barbados in 1671; John Herbert settled in Salem Mass. in 1630; Thomas Herbert settled in Virginia in 1651; William Herbert and his wife Elizabeth settled in the Barbados in 1679.

Motto Translated: By constancy and fortitude.

Some noteworthy people of the name Herbert

▫            William Herbert (d.1469) English 1st Earl of Pembroke

▫            William Herbert (c.1501-1570) English soldier/diplomat

▫            Henry Herbert (c.1534-1601) English 2nd Earl of Pembroke

▫            William Herbert (1580-1630) English 3rd Earl of Pembroke

▫            Philip Herbert (1584-1650) English 4th Earl of Pembroke

▫            Alan "A P" Patrick Herbert (1890-1971) English writer/politician

▫            George Herbert (1593-1633) English poet

▫            Walter "Wally" William Herbert (1934-) British Arctic explorer

▫            Victor Herbert (1859-1924) Ir/Am composer

Three abbreviated biographies of William Herbert:

William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, KG, PC (April 8, 1580 – April 10, 1630) was the son of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and his third wife Mary Sidney.   Chancellor of the University of Oxford, he founded Pembroke College, Oxford with James VI of Scotland and I of England.   He was also the patron of William Shakespeare.   He married Mary Talbot, daughter of Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, on 4 November 1604.   He died in 1630, aged 50 and childless, and his titles passed to his brother, Philip Herbert.

Pembroke, William Herbert, 3d earl of, 1580–1630, English courtier and patron of letters.   Son of Mary Herbert, countess of Pembroke, and nephew of Sir Philip Sidney, he was tutored by the poet Samuel Daniel and succeeded his father to the earldom in 1601.   Prominent at court, he became (1611) a privy councilor and served as lord chamberlain of the royal household (1615–25) and lord steward (1626–30).   He also furthered the exploration and colonization of America.   Shakespeare's First Folio (1623) was dedicated to him and his brother, and he has been doubtfully identified with the “Mr. W. H” mentioned in the publisher's dedication of the 1609 edition of the Sonnets.   Pembroke College, Oxford, was named in his honor while he was chancellor of the university (1617–30).

William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (1580-1630), Lord Chamberlain - A courtier and important patron of art, Pembroke held office under both James I and Charles I.   Both Ben Johnson and Inigo Jones benefited from his patronage, and with his brother Philip, he was one of 'the most Noble and Incomparable Pair of Brethren' to whom the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays was dedicated.   Pembroke was appointed Lord Chamberlain in 1615 and Chancellor of Oxford University in 1617.

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