Heraldic Visitation

Heraldic visitations were official inspections conducted by heralds in England and Wales from the 16th to the 17th centuries. These commissions directed heralds to visit specific counties to examine the coats of arms in use and verify the right of individuals to bear them. The records compiled during these visitations are a valuable resource for both heraldry and genealogy.

Heralds themselves evolved from medieval officers who carried messages between armies and conducted tournaments to authorities on armorial history and genealogy. By the 15th century, principal heralds, known as kings of arms, had the power to issue grants of arms, a role that became more formalized over time. While early heraldry may have involved self-assumption of arms, the visitations aimed to regulate and record their legitimate use within the framework of English history and social structure.12