Scrope v Grosvenor

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Scrope v Grosvenor (1389–1390) is one of England’s first famous heraldry cases. Richard Scrope and Sir Robert Grosvenor both bore the coat Azure, a bend Or. In the 14th century, two unrelated people in the same country could not use the same undifferenced arms, so Scrope challenged Grosvenor in 1386.

The Court of Chivalry heard the case, and in 1389 ruled in Scrope’s favor: Grosvenor could not keep the exact same arms and would have to differ or adopt a new design. King Richard II personally reviewed the decision and, in 1390, said that the undifferenced arms could not be shared by unrelated families in the same country. Grosvenor’s request for the proposed fix was denied, so he had to change his arms. He eventually adopted Azure, a Garb Or (a blue shield with a gold wheatsheaf), a design still used by his descendants, the Dukes of Westminster.