Arms of The Town of Amherst
Arms of The Town of Amherst
Blazon
Argent a saltire Azure surmounted by three tilting lances in asterisk Or interlaced by a laurel wreath proper, on a chief barry wavy Argent and Azure, between a rose and a fleur-de-lis Or a pale Vert charged with a tower Or;
Symbolism
The white background with a blue saltire cross alludes to the arms of Nova Scotia. The tilting lances and the laurel wreath are taken from the crest of Lord Amherst, the military commander and Governor of the Province of Quebec after whom the town was named. The green square refers to the town’s position on the isthmus between the Cumberland Basin and the Northumberland Strait, which are represented by the stylized waves. The tower alludes to the fortifications that once existed in the area, and the rose and fleur-de-lis to the English and French troops that once fought over it.
Crest of The Town of Amherst
Blazon
Two hands clasped couped holding a sprig of mayflower proper and a maple leaf Vert;
Symbolism
The crest of clasped hands and floral sprigs is based on that of Nova Scotia. The mayflower is the provincial flower, while the maple leaf alludes to the town’s Canadian identity.
