Dealing mainly with British heraldry and written by Officers of Arms with access to the records and manuscripts of the College of Arms, the heraldic authority of the UK, this is an introduction to heraldry which aims to help the reader enjoy old houses, churches and monuments as well as the subject for its own sake. It is written for people who know little about the subject, but it aims to be authoritative, avoiding romantic myths and bogus heraldic terms. Among the topics covered are the origins of heraldry; the composition of arms (shields, crests, supporters, etc) and their visual appearance; how arms were and are granted and to whom; the evolution of arms as families grow and intermarry; and the use of arms as decoration. There are chapters on American and European heraldry. The illustrations have been drawn where possible from the manuscripts in the College of Arms library.