Stafford knot
The Staffordbadge
Information
Family	Stafford family

TheStafford knot, more commonly known as theStaffordshire knot, is a distinctive three-loopedknot that is the traditional symbol of the English county ofStaffordshire and of itscounty town,Stafford. It is a particular representation of the simpleoverhand knot, the most basic knot of all.^[1][2]

One legend of its origin, generally consideredmythical, is that three convicted criminals who had committed a crime together were due to be executed inStafford gaol. There was argument over who should be hanged first but the hangman solved the problem by devising this knot and hanging the three simultaneously.^[1] The knot can be seen on a 4-foot-high (1.2 m) carvedAnglo-Saxon cross in a churchyard inStoke-upon-Trent, giving its name as the Staffordshire Knot and also on a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon object from theStaffordshire hoard.^[3] This strongly suggests it pre-dates theNorman andmedieval period, being probably either a heraldic symbol of earlyMercia or aCeltic Christian symbol brought to Staffordshire by missionary monks fromLindisfarne.

The flag of thehistoric county ofStaffordshire

The Stafford familyheraldic flag,blazoned with eleven Stafford knots

Flag of the city ofBrisbane

The earliest known appearance of the knot in association with the Stafford family was on the 15th-century seal of Lady Joan de Stafford, Lady Wake (daughter ofHugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford), who adapted theWake knot for her use. The seal, on which four knots appear tied on a string around her coat of arms, is now in theBritish Museum.^[4][5] After Lady Wake died childless in 1443, her nephewHumphrey de Stafford, 6th Earl of Stafford inherited her personal property. Humphrey, who was made the Duke of Buckingham the following year, incorporated his aunt's adaptation of the Wake knot as a cordon around his seal, although he used three knots and not four.^[4]

The knot appears on a drawing of thestandard of Sir Henry de Stafford, which was flownc. 1475. In avisitation ofStafford in 1583, the town's arms were recorded for the first time asor a chevron gules, a Stafford knot argent. These arms, which represent the traditional Stafford arms with the addition of the knot, is still theflag of Staffordshire (albeit with the knot changed from white to gold).^[4][1][6]

Future earls of Stafford retained the knot for use onheraldic badges, although the exact date of use is unknown. Early heraldic badges are poorly recorded, however, and many had multiple badges. In 1720, theEarl of Stafford used 18 badges, including the Stafford knot, all enclosed in a circle of Stafford knots.^[2][4] The design closely matches the early design of thepretzel, which was made to represent arms crossed in prayer. In the 19th century, it became a symbol of Staffordshire pottery.^[7] This "Staffordshire knot" was also used as asurgical suture in the 19th century. It was discarded by some as too dangerous, as the knot could slip if not tied correctly, and indeed, its use led to multiple deaths by haemorrhage.^[8][9]

The knot appears prominently onthe flag of thehistoric county ofStaffordshire, as well as on the banner ofStaffordshire County Council. The motto of the county council – "the knot unites" – refers to the Stafford knot. It also appears on thecoat of arms of theBorough of Stafford.^[1] The knot appears on the logos of bothStaffordshire University andKeele University, as well as on many school badges.

Stoke-on-Trent based professional football teamPort Vale use the knot on their club badge, as do fellow Staffordshire clubsChasetown,Hanley Town,Hednesford Town,Leek Town,Lichfield City,Newcastle Town,Tamworth,Stafford Rangers andWolverhampton Casuals. Additionally,West Midlands clubDarlaston Town (1874) also feature the knot as the town ofDarlaston was historically part of Staffordshire. The knot also features on the badge ofStaffordshire County Cricket Club.

The Stafford knot was the badge of the38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot in whichSir Thomas Brisbane entered theBritish Army as an Ensign in 1789 – and thus the eponymous city of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia, has the Stafford knot on itsarms. The knot formed part of the insignia of theNorth Staffordshire Regiment,South Staffordshire Regiment,Staffordshire Regiment and currently is the arm badge of theMercian Regiment. It is also used as the badge of theStaffordshire Police force and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service]]. Staffordshire wing of the Air Training Corps also uses the knot on its crest.

Also used as a pin/lapel badge by members of Freemasonry under the Provincial Grand Lodge of Staffordshire.

TheNorth Staffordshire Railway, an independent railway company in the county from 1845 until the compulsory grouping of the railways in 1923, was colloquially referred to asThe Knotty after the knot. The knot symbol appeared in the railway company's badge.The Smiler,^[10] a roller coaster atAlton Towers, has a combined section of track known as the "Stafford/Staffordshire Knot", consisting of acobra roll entwined with abatwing. It is given this nickname due to the resemblance to the original knot shape.

In an article published in theBirmingham Evening Mail on 1 June 1965, journalist Roy Smith described plans for theGravelly Hill Interchange as "like a cross between a plate of spaghetti and an unsuccessful attempt at a Staffordshire knot", with the headline above the article on the newspaper's front page, written by sub-editor Alan Eaglesfield, reading "Spaghetti Junction".^[11][12][13]

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