The Lion and Legacy Behind the Talbot County Seal

Story
Written By Mary-Eileen Russell

The Talbot County seal is more than a decorative emblem. It reflects centuries of struggle, faith, and legacy. The red lion stands not only for the noble Talbot lineage but also for the courage of those who came to Maryland in search of liberty and a better life. The ideals embedded in the seal—courage, conviction, and freedom of conscience—remain deeply rooted in Talbot County’s story. They remind us that our heritage is not only something to honor, but something to carry forward.

Learn more about the Talbot County Seal below. ⬇️

“The Great Seal of Talbot County was officially adopted on July 26, 1966. As a result of Talbot County being named in honor of Grace Talbot, daughter of George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, and sister of Cecil Calvert, the second Lord Baltimore, the Talbot coat of arms was adopted as the design of both the seal and flag. This consists of a rampant lion in red, against a silver shield. The background color of the seal and flag is purple, which was the color assigned in 1694 to Talbot County by the royal governor of Maryland, Sir Francis Nicholson. The seal is circular in shape, with the words, “The Great Seal of Talbot County Maryland” along the edge. Below the rampant lion is written in Latin, “Tempus Praeteritum Et Futurum,” which translates as, “Times, Past and Future.” ”
— Talbot County Government Website

The Lion as Symbol

Illustration of “Aslin the Lion” for C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, by Pauline Baynes

If I had ever seen the red lion of Talbot County as a child, I would have immediately thought of Aslan from The Chronicles of Narnia, a series I loved. What child can forget the moment when Aslan gives Peter a shield with the red lion upon it? That image stuck with me and deepened my fascination with lions—creatures that have symbolized royalty, courage, and fierce protection in stories throughout history.

The lion has long represented power, bravery, and nobility. It has appeared in ancient myths, the Bible, and even among the stars. While African lions were most familiar to Europeans, early settlers in North America wrote of seeing “lyons” along the shores of the “Chisapeack.” These were likely cougars or bobcats, predators that thrived in the dense forests and hunted the large herds of deer. The wild beauty of these animals was part of the landscape that early trappers and settlers encountered, adding a local echo to the lion on the county’s seal.

The Talbot Family Lineage

The Talbot coat or crest features a lion and a dog.

Long before the French or even the Spanish explored the “Bay of Holy Mary” as they called the Chesapeake Bay, a family by the name of Talbot had chosen the lion as the symbol of their clan.

The Talbot family's use of the lion as a symbol goes back to 11th-century Normandy. The earliest Talbots followed Duke William of Normandy in 1066 to conquer England. The name Talbot, from Norman French, means “bright valley.” Their coat of arms originally featured both a lion and a dog, along with the family motto Forte et Fidele, meaning “Brave and Faithful.”

Over time, Talbot knights served in England, Ireland, and Wales. Some became Earls of Shrewsbury, a powerful dynasty in the British Isles. The Welsh Talbots were the first to adapt a single red lion rampant when one of the Talbot barons married a Welsh princess, the lion being favored in heraldry by the Welsh along with the dragon.

The rampant lion, a lion standing in the midst of attack, symbolizing deathless courage. The color red denoted martyrdom as well as fortitude and magnanimity, while the silver background represented peace and sincerity.

Faith and Freedom

Five hundred or so years after the Norman Conquest, King Henry VIII sought to break with the Catholic Church and become the head of his own English church. Many in his kingdom of Ireland refused to part with the “old religion” and the next several centuries saw civil wars and religious persecutions throughout the British Isles.

The Talbots in Ireland remained faithful to Catholicism, which aligned them with the Calverts, another prominent Catholic family. George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, had served in the royal court under King James I and became a Catholic after leaving royal service. He was granted land in Ireland, including the “Barony of Baltimore” in County Longford, as well as a colony in Newfoundland called Avalon.

The Avalon colony was a failure, ending in sickness and shipwreck. Unfortunately, Lady Baltimore drowned off the coast of Ireland. Yet in 1632, George’s son Cecil Calvert was granted another colonial charter for land north of Virginia. He called it Mary’s Land, after Queen Henrietta Maria, and made religious freedom central to its founding. Cecil Calvert was determined that the new colony would protect freedom of conscience, which was a radical idea in the 17th century. At the time, outside of Mary’s Land there was hardly any other place in the world where people could choose their religion. 

Grace Calvert Talbot

According to tradition, Talbot County is named for Lady Grace Calvert Talbot, one of George Calvert’s daughters, who married Sir Robert Talbot, Baronet of Carton in County Kildare, Ireland. In the 1650s, Sir Robert fought against Oliver Cromwell during his brutal campaign in Ireland, and the couple lost their property and position. Although King Charles II later restored their lands, the loss was profound. What her husband suffered, Grace suffered as well.

Grace’s name appears only in some records, most often in Irish genealogies. Cecil Calvert had many siblings, so it is a mystery why Grace was honored with a county name when others were not. Perhaps Cecil admired her strength, or wished to honor her husband’s loyalty and sacrifice. Some sources suggest Grace may have traveled to Maryland and died there, while others claim she died in London in 1672. Their daughter Frances later married into another branch of the Talbot family.

Modern Seal, adopted 2024.

A Seal with Meaning

We can be proud that in our Talbot County seal lies the microcosm of a rich history—a heritage marked by the courage, sacrifice and determination symbolized by the lion. It includes the precious concept of freedom of conscience, which lived out in Maryland before it was even thought of in most of the rest of the world. This went on to be expressed as freedom of religion in our American Bill of Rights which, like the rest of our heritage, should never be taken for granted. 

Sources

Mary-Eileen Russell

Mary-Eileen Russell is a resident of Talbot County and honored to be a member of the Talbot250 Commission. The author of several books, she also works as a professional caregiver for the elderly. 

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