The History of Owls, Leeds, and Yorkshire

The Clarendon Owl features throughout this website, and its abilities are synonymous with a good Executive Coach & Mentor.

But why is the City of Leeds, my home City, actually associated with Owls?

Well, it all started with the Savile family who originated from Anjou, France. The family came to Yorkshire after being granted the right to a great amount of Yorkshire land following their support of William The Conqueror during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. 

Sir John Savile became the first Alderman of the City of Leeds, and when he designed his Coat-Of-Arms, he included three Owls, which began the association of Leeds with Owls. It is thought that he chose them because of the Greek Goddess Athena, Goddess of Wisdom & Strategy, who was often depicted as an Owl. 

The Borough of Leeds was incorporated by Charles I in 1626 after Sir John Savile, the MP for Yorkshire, was elected as the first Councilman of the Borough. It was then that the Leeds Coat-Of-Arms was created, featuring a Fleece, which represented the City's main industry of wool textiles, supported by the Owls taken from Savile's own Coat-Of-Arms. From there, the Owl became a symbol of Leeds and a rich part of its history. There are three Owls on the Leeds City Council Coat-Of-Arms, enormous golden Owl statues outside the Civic Hall, and sculptures and paintings of Owls at 24 other locations around the City, which now form part of the Leeds Owl Trail.

The Clarendon Executive Coaching & Mentoring Owl is now another addition to the Owls in Leeds.