One of four Royal Burghs which is quite special since it was
never represented in Parliament, or in the Convention of Royal Burghs
until modern times, they are known to historians as the four inactive
Royal Burghs of Fife.
Latin Motto
"Cruce Sancti Andreas Docebatur Populum"
"By the Cross of St Andrew were the people taught"
The Latin shows two grammatical errors "Andreas" should
be "Andreae" and "Populum" should be "Populus", it was decided to
leave them as they were wri tten.
Newburgh was granted as a Burgh to the Abbot of Lindores by King
Alexander III in 1266 and was, in 1600, raised to a Burgh of Regality
in favour of Patrick Leslie, later Lord Lindores, son of the 5th Earl
of Rothes.
In 1631, King Charles I created th e town a Royal Burgh.
The arms repeat several features on the old Burgh seal.
They use the red and gold colours of MacDuff, Earl of Fife.
The couped cross quadrate with its lion rampant represents the
famous and ancient Cross MacDuff, situated near to the Burgh.
The Cross-formed the sanctuary of the Clan MacDuff.
The blue colour of the thistles and the buckle in the chief
recall the Leslie connection, the thistle being part of an
augmentation granted by King Charles I to Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl
of Leven , the noted Covenanting General.
The battlements refer to the castle in the arms of the Lordship
of Lindores.
