Birds with two heads in Lancashire

I HAVE LONG been fascinated by the double-headed eagle (‘DHE’). The earliest evidence of its use as a symbol is on Mesopotamian seal rings made as long ago as c3000 BC. Since then, it has been used by the Seljuk Turks, the Byzantine Empire, the kingdom of Mysore, Russia, Austro-Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, and many other peoples.

In England, aristocratic families such as the Killigrews and the Godolphins in Cornwall have incorporated it in their coats-of-arms. Today, we visited Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire. It was once the seat of the Hesketh family. And their original coat-of-arms included the DHE. This two headed bird can be seen in many places on the building.

For those less interested in the DHE than me, the main attraction of the place is the 16th century Hall with its hammer beam ceiling and its amazing timber screen.

When we decided to visit Rufford Old Hall today, I had no idea that I would be seeing yet another British family’s use of the DHE. I have no idea what if anything caused these families to incorporate this creature in their crests. It is far less used in Englush heraldry than other creatures such as, for example, the lion, the eagle, the unicorn, and the griffin.