Heraldic Badge/Crest
While some call this a “Crest Badge” (differentiating it from a Plant badge), or “Clan Badge” (a slight misnomer), it is more correct to call this the Badge of Kilravock, since it is directly born out of the Arms of Kilravock. By wearing this badge you are proclaiming support of our Clan Chief, and as such Clan Rose. Unlike some Highland families we have a tradition of only having one Chief, but the depiction of his Badge does have some variation in style. The two primary variations is the winged harp and the standard or basic harp. In older representations the winged harp was commonly used. The more basic harp was used more commonly during the time of Baroness Elizabeth 25th of Kilravock.
The primary elements of the Heraldic Badge is a “Belt” (not a garter according to the Lord Lion) inscribed with our long standing motto “Constant and True”, encircling a harp (sometimes Harp Asure/Blue), surmounting a Baronial Cap of Maintance (Chepo).
Le sire de Ros. At this time Thomas de Ros, Baron of Hamlake, was the representative of the great house to which belonged William de Ros, a competitor for the crown of Scotland in 1296. Three water bougets were his arms, and gules, three water bougets argent, is the blazon in the Caerlaverock Roll.
It does not, however, seem very likely that in 1370 this family of Ros would be included in a Scotch roll of arms, as their connection with that country had long ceased.
Godfrey de Ros of Tarbart may be the person intended ; I have no evidence for the arms he bore, but his younger brother John had a charter from Robert, Earl of Strathern, afterwards Robert IL, of Halkhead, co. Renfrew. His descendants, as vassals of the Stewarts, added a chevron checquy placed between their three water bougets, but the tincture of the field is or, possibly an alteration to make the coat more resemble that of the overlord.
Hugh Ros of Kilravock, co. Nairn, was a cotemporary of Godfrey, and the bearing of this family also was water bougets. A water bouget with three stars in chief is the seal of Muriel, widow of Sir William de Roys, lord of Kylrauoke, c. 1328. In 1493 the sigillmn Hugonis Rois baronis has a boar's head couped for Chisholm between three water bougets. In 1526 Hugh Rose of Kilravock uses the three water bougets only. Arms registered by Hugh of Kilravock 1672-78— or, a boar's head couped gules between three water bougets sable ; crest — a harp azure ; motto — " Constant and true." To this family belongs Field-Marshal the Lord Strathnairn. Hugh, Baron of Kilravock, sat in Parliament 1481. A genealogy of this family, written 1683-84 by Mr Hew Rose, minister of Nairn, was printed, with additions and illustrations by Cosmo Innes, Esq., for the Spalding Club, in 1848.
The Rose Arms
On page 33 of the
"SCOTTISH ARMS"
BEING
A COLLECTION OF ARMORIAL BEARINGS
A.D. 1370-1678
Reproduced in Facsimile from Contemporary Manuscripts
WITH HERALDIC AND GENEALOGICAL NOTES
By R. R. STODART.
VOLUME SECOND.
EDINBURGH: WILLIAM PATERSON
we find the following description
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From Archive.org
Scottish Arms - A Collection of Armorial Bearings Vol 2
by Robert Riddle Stodart. 1881.
Page 32 describes De Ros