Today is the Feastday of St Columba, who died on this day.
Here are the lovely 1874 arms of the Cathedral of the Isles, Cumbrae, which quarter the saint in his boat with the arms of George Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow, who commissioned the great Gothic Revival architect, William Butterfield, to build the Cathedral and College.
Quarterly, 1st and 4th grandquarters Azure St Columba in a boat at sea, in his sinister hand a dove and in dexter chief a blazing star, all proper. 2nd and 3rd quarters counterquartered 1st and 4th Or an eagle displayed with two heads Gules beaked Azure,being a coat of augmentation, 2nd and 3rd parted per bend embattled Gules and Argent (for Boyle); in an escutcheon of pretence in the centre of the 2nd and 3rd grandquarters Or, three Stag's horns Gules (for Boyle of Kelburn).
(Photo: Karen Brodie via Millport.org)
The 6th Earl had actually recorded much grander arms for himself at the College of Arms and then matriculated these at the Lyon Office in 1869.
The arms show his descent from Maxwell of Pollok, Lindsay, Abernethy, Crawford, Ross, Melville, and Forrester. All rather a clutter by Scottish standards.......
