Galston Heraldic Arms
18 March
The Arms, which were registered in 1964 show on the dexter side, (the viewers left, the wearers right), the Keith family arms to recall Sir William Keith of Gawliston who brought back to Scotland the Heart of King Robert I after Sir James Douglas, who was taking it to the Holy Land, had been killed fighting the Moors in Spain.
The mailed hand with the Heart were specially included to commemorate this famous deed and also to make a canting reference to the neighbouring family of Lockhart of Barr, one of whom, John Lockhart, was well known for his support of George Wishart, John Knox and the Reformers.
On the sinister side (the viewers right, the wearers left), are the arms of Bentinck, the Duke of Portland being the Superior of the Burgh. The red shells on the ermine field allude to Campbell of Cessnock; Cessnock Castle was the original Tower of Gawliston from which Galston derives its name.
The crossed shuttles are shown as a crest on the Burgh seal (which also shows, inter alia, the Bentinck arms) and refer to the weaving industry for which Galston was once well known.
The Latin motto - 'By Work and by Confidence' - comes from the seal and is said to have been adopted by Galston in its early days.
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