Somerset Herald

The heraldic badge of Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary
Heraldic tradition	Gallo–British
Jurisdiction	England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Governing body	College of Arms

Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. In the year 1448 Somerset Herald is known to have served the Duke of Somerset, but by the time of the coronation of King Henry VII in 1485 his successor appears to have been raised to the rank of a royal officer, when he was the only herald to receive coronation liveries.

By 1525 Somerset was again in private service, on the staff of the Duke of Richmond and Somerset, Henry Fitzroy, although he was appointed by the King and shared the heralds' fees as a herald extraordinary. On the death of that nobleman in 1536 the herald returned to the service of the crown, and all later officers called Somerset have been members of the royal household as heralds in ordinary. The badge of office is A Portcullis Or Royally Crowned. This is a version of the Beaufort badge.

The post is currently vacant.

Holders of the office

Arms	Name	Date of appointment	Ref
Royal Herald of Henry VII
	John Yonge, Esq.[a]	(1493)
	John Pounde, Esq.	(1511)
Herald to Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset
	John Pounde, Esq.	(1511)
	William Hastings, Esq.	(1528)
	Thomas Traheyron or Trahern, Esq.	(1536)
Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary
	Thomas Traheyron or Trahern, Esq.[b]	1536–1542
	Richard Radcliffe, Esq.	1543–1545
	William Harvey, Esq.	1545–1551
	Edmond Atkinson, Esq.	1551–1571
	Robert Glover, Esq.	1571–1588
	William Segar, Esq.	1589–1597
	Robert Treswell, Esq.	1597–1624
	John Philipot	1624–1645
	George Owen, Esq.	1657–1658
	Henry Bysshe, Esq.	1658–1660
	Sir Thomas St George	1660–1680
	Francis Burghill, Esq.	1680–1700
	Samuel Stebbing Esq.	1700–1720
	John Warburton, Esq., FRS, FSA	1720–1759
	Ralph Bigland	1759–1773	[2]
	Henry Hastings, Esq.	1773–1777
	John Charles Brooke, Esq, FSA	1777–1794	[3]
	John Atkinson, Esq.	1794–1813	[4]
	James Cathrow, Esq.	1813–1854	[5]
	William Courthope, Esq.	1854–1866	[6]
	James Robinson Planché, Esq., FSA	1866–1872	[7]
	Stephen Isaacson Tucker, Esq.	1880–1887	[8]
	Sir Henry Farnham Burke, KCVO, CB, FSA	1887–1911
	Everard Green, Esq., FSA	1911–1926	[9]
	Hon. Sir George Rothe Bellew, KCB, KCVO, FSA	1926–1950	[10]
	Michael Roger Trappes-Lomax, Esq., FSA	1951–1967	[11]
	Rodney Dennys, Esq., CVO, OBE, FSA	1967–1982	[12]
	Thomas Woodcock, Esq., LVO, FSA	1982–1997	[13]
	David Vines White, Esq.	2004–2021	[14]
	Vacant	2021–present