William Urquhart, and his ancestors before him, owned Oldmeldrum and all the land for miles around. They lived up at Meldrum House, which is now a hotel.
The coat of arms on the Town Hall is the personal one of William Urquhart. He was the 4th Urquhart laird of Meldrum. In 1741, to celebrate becoming chieftain of the whole clan, he had these new arms designed for himself. His initials W and U are clearly seen on the design.
His coat of arms also commemorates his ancestors. Around 1249 William’s forefathers changed their surname from Fedarg to Meldrum. The name Meldrum, a territorial one, originated here. The otter wearing a crown represents the Meldrums.
The crescent, which the otter holds between his paws, represents the Seton family. They came after the Meldrums. If the coat of arms is restored to its original colours, the crescent will be painted red.
The boars’ heads on the shield belongs to the Urquharts as do the greyhound supporters.
The writing at the top of the design is in Latin, Per Mare et Terras, which means ‘by land and sea ’. It refers to the otter, who can live on land or in the sea.
At the bottom of the design is the motto of the Urquhart clan,
Mean Speak and Doe Well.
It is still their motto today.
Evelyn Munro
09.11.10
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