When we see our coat of arms for the first time, it should arouse in us feelings of pleasure and satisfaction although we may be unable to explain exactly why.  The coat of arms is a pictorial representation of the achievements of individuals and families handed down from father to son and zealously guarded and preserved through the ages.  It is also an enduring symbolic link to one’s ancestral homeland, reminding us of a time when chivalry flourished and knights roamed the castled countryside.  As such it is a useful vehicle of cultural continuity and forms a tangible basis for that innate pride of origin common to us all.