West Sussex County Council: Celebrate Sussex

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Sussex Butterflies

There are 45 regular breeder butterfly species in Sussex. Most famous is the Chalkhill Blue which lives in chalk grassland on the Downs.

The Sussex Martlet

The Sussex martlet is a mythical bird shown on the West Sussex County Council Coat of Arms, which were  granted in 1975. Blue and red shields with six golden martlets were already shown representing Sussex in 1611.

The martlet, which is thought to represent the swallow, is shown at rest, wings closed and without feet, possibly because many myths tell that the martlett, or swallow, could never land.

Or, perhaps the martlet was used on the arms because of the influence of the Lords of Arundel. The French for swallow is 'hirondele', which sounds similar to Arundel.

It is also thought that a number of early Sussex families used martlets on their arms, so it is possible that a sheriff of Sussex, from one of these families, simply transferred them from his own personal use in County Council affairs.