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Symbolism > bordure

bordure

The bordure is, as it sounds, a fairly wide border around the outside of a shield. Except for in more modern grants where the bordure is an original part of the shield, there is little doubt that the bordure is either a mark of cadency, displaying the status of a younger son or brother, or a mark of illegitimacy. The bordure is no longer used for these purposes, except for in England where a bordure wavy is still a mark of illegitimacy and the bordure compony serves the same purpose in Scotland. This is by no means a mark of dishonour, though; it is merely a heraldic tradition carried over from the days when it was necessary to distinguish the rightful heirs from others who might have some claim to the family title and fortune. The orle is the diminutive of a bordure and looks like the frame of a shield within the shield rather than a border. It is about half the width of a bordure. When charges are placed around the outside of it they are said to be ‘in orle.’ It was used as a mark to distinguish the arms of one branch of a family from those of another, and in some cases the orle was used as a symbol of honor.

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