Springfield Parish Council

In 1988 the Parish wrote to the Chelmsford Borough Council saying that in certain areas it was felt that it was losing it's identity and it wished to mark the boundary by way of a sign. Long running correspondence followed between the Parish Council and Chelmsford Borough Council who in 1989 said that "the Chelmsford Borough Council had no objection in principle to the inclusion of a Springfield Parish Council crest on a sign but that full details of the organisation which officially approved use of this crest must be provided"! The Parish Council soon found out that the official body for recognising and approving crests and signs was the King of Arms at the College of Arms in London.

In 1989 contact was made with Mr. Hubert Chesshyre the Chester Herald at the time. In order to use the crest legally the Parish Council would have to petition the King of Arms for a Grant of Arms by Letters Patent. The design which the Parish Council had been using was in fact a "bogus" Coat of Arms as it had not been approved "officially".

The Parish Council decided to go ahead and apply for a Grant of Arms, which was expensive at the time, but was a "one off" for future use. The first step was to submit a Memorial to the Earl Marshall and the Chester Herald did this on the Parish Council's behalf requiring details of history and constitution.

Negotiations started for the actual design of the Coat of Arms. Many of the children's original features were adapted by Lesley Young a Parish Council Office employee who has an artistic background. Much of the original information and artwork is still held in the Parish Council archives and makes very interesting reading.

Starting from the top of the design the Church Tower is of course Springfield All Saints, which although not in the Parish of Springfield now was prior to 1907. Originally the Parish Council wanted the whole of the Church in the design but this was not recommended by the College of Arms. The trees either side of the tower are shown on a photograph of the Church taken in the 1990's. The plough underneath the Church Tower symbolises the agricultural aspect of the area in the past in that Springfield was a tiny settlement of a few houses and land was agricultural in use. The plough is copied from a drawing of men ploughing with oxen from an 11th century calendar. The spring flowers on the mound under the plough symbolises the extensive bulb planting that took place in the Parish in the 1970's and 80's.

The two crosses "moline" symbolises the mill at Barnes Mill and the river represents the Rivers Chelmer and Blackwater which form a large part of the Springfield Parish boundary. The three seaxes (for Essex) are shown in the centre of the millstones. The stook of wheat at the base of the design again represents the agricultural nature of the area. The helmet and other adornments were suggested by the Chester Herald in order to make the Arms quite distinctive and unlike any other granted before.

The Springfield Patent of Arms was finally finished in 1995 and a copy is held in the Parish Council Offices. The Coat of Arms is now used on all Parish Council documents.

In the year 2000 the Parish Council were looking at various Millennium Projects. It was felt that the Springfield Parish Coat of Arms, should be displayed in the Parish. Many sites were considered including displaying the Arms on the new Parish Centre in North Springfield. However, it was decided that as the Chelmer Village area figures prominently in the design the new Village Sign should be displayed in East Springfield.