Stafford knot

Stafford knot
The Stafford badge
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Family	Stafford family

The Stafford knot, sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Staffordshire knot, is a distinctive three-looped knot that is the traditional symbol of the English county of Staffordshire and of its county town, Stafford. It is a particular representation of the simple overhand knot, the most basic knot of all.

The knot was the badge of the de Stafford family. One legend of its origin, generally considered mythical, is that three convicted criminals who had committed a crime together were due to be executed in Stafford 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.

However, the knot can be seen on a 4-foot-high (1.2 m) carved Anglo-Saxon cross in a churchyard in Stoke-upon-Trent, and also on a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon object from the Staffordshire hoard. This strongly suggests it pre-dates the Norman and medieval period, being probably either a heraldic symbol of early Mercia or a Celtic Christian symbol brought to Staffordshire by missionary monks from Lindisfarne.

The design closely matches the early design of the pretzel, which was made to represent arms crossed in prayer.

The knot appears prominently on the flag of the historic county of Staffordshire, as well as on the banner of Staffordshire County Council. The motto of the county council is "the knot unites", a reference to the Stafford knot. It also appears on the coat of arms of the Borough of Stafford.

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