enfield
See also: Enfield
English
[edit]
Etymology
[edit]Possibly a corruption of Irish onchú, denoting a mythical water beast.[1]
Noun
[edit]enfield (plural enfields)
- A heraldic beast with the head of a fox, the chest of a greyhound, the talons of an eagle, the body of a lion, and the hindlegs and tail of a wolf.[2]
- 1847, Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, page 957:
- Tradition relates, that the O'Kelly crest of “the Enfield” originated at this time, from the circumstance of this animal having issued from the sea, to protect the body of Tadhg from the Danes, 'till rescued by his followers.
References
[edit]- ^ Williams, N. J. A. (1989) “Of Beasts and Banners: The Origin of the Heraldic Enfield”, in The Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, volume 119, →JSTOR, pages 62–78
- ^ A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Charles Fox-Davies (London, 1909), p. 231.