Clarenceux King of Arms, historically often spelled Clarencieux (both pronounced ), is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of England south of the River Trent. The office almost certainly existed in 1420, and there is a fair degree of probability that there was a Claroncell rex heraldus armorum in 1334. There are also some early references to the southern part of England being termed Surroy, but there is not firm evidence that there was ever a king of arms so called. The title of Clarenceux is supposedly derived from either the Honour (or estates of dominion) of the Clare earls of Gloucester, or from the Dukedom of Clarence (1362). With minor variations, the arms of Clarenceux have, from the late fifteenth century, been blazoned as Argent a Cross on a Chief Gules a Lion passant guardant crowned with an open Crown Or.
The current Clarenceux King of Arms is Robert Noel who was appointed to the office on 28 October 2024.
Holders of the office Brackets indicate a date for which there is evidence the named person held this office
ArmsNameOffice-holders down to 1963 are from Godfrey and Wagner 1963, pp. 75–101Dates of officeNotesRefAndrew(1334)This otherwise obscure figure was named as "Clarencell rex Heraldus" in a Wardrobe Account record dated 19 June 1334.Godfrey and Wagner 1963, p. 75Richard Spenser(1383)Spenser is recorded as "Heraud Mariscall del Suth" on 16 September 1383. According to Godfrey and Wagner, he was possibly sent to Ireland in 1394, but no other details of his life are known.William Horsley(1420)Horseley is recorded in the Chapter minutes at the college, dated 5 January 1420. Later lists of heralds state he was Leopard herald and Ireland King of Arms, while Thomas Lant called him Guyene and Clarenceux in his roll of officers of arms; no contemporary evidence in support of these claims has emerged.John Cosounc. 1425 – 6 February 1428Cousoun was Arundel Herald in 1415 and, according to Godfrey and Wagner, "must have been" in that office in 1413, when an Arundel Herald was sent to Portugal. He served John Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk as Mowbray Herald from c. 1416. He married one Emma and had at least one son, Richard, living in 1426.Godfrey and Wagner 1963, pp. 75–76Roger Legh or Lygh8 May 1435 – c. 1460Legh was later said to have been Wallingford, Rouge Croix and Chester Pursuivants, but there is no or contradictory evidence for these claims. He was appointed Gloucester Herald by 22 February 1431. As Gloucester he went to France and as Clarenceux he was sent to Scotland and Normandy, before attending Garter missions to Aragon and Poland. He was married to one Margaret and apparently died poor; one of his books was later divided into four parts (the Military Roll, a roll relating to the Aldermen of London, another to the kings of England and the last relating to Parliament) which were divided between the British Museum (MSS. Harl. 4205 and Add. 45133) and the Guildhall Library.Godfrey and Wagner 1963, pp. 76–77William Hawkeslowec. 1461 – 1476Hawkeslowe was said to have held a number of heraldic offices: Wallingford, Bluemantle, Leopard and Guyene King of Arms (possibly Herald), but corroborating evidence is lacking. He was appointed Clarenceux between December 1460 and November 1461, before being sent to Scotland. He left for France in 1475, but drowned in the Spanish seas the following year. Apparently indebted at the time of his death, his widow and children were provided for by Edward IV. A number of grants of arms are known from his tenure, but no other material appears to have survived.Godfrey and Wagner 1963, pp. 77–78Sir Thomas Holme1 August 1476 – 1493Although said to have been Falcon pursuivant in the reign of Henry VI, Holme's first heraldic appointments for which any evidence has been found is as Rouge Croix (1457). He was Windsor Herald in 1461 and Norroy King of Arms from 1467. He resigned as Clarenceux on 4 January 1485, but was reappointed by patent on 1 May 1487 and served until his death. He took part in a number of diplomatic missions to Scotland, Burgundy, France, Brittany and Denmark, and was godfather to Thomas Wriothesley, Garter King of Arms.Godfrey and Wagner 1963, pp. 78–79Roger Machado1494–1510 Diplomat and officer of arms of Portuguese extraction. He was appointed Clarenceux King of Arms on 24 January 1494.Christopher Carlill4 November 1510 – 1511Thomas Benolt1511–1534Thomas Tonge1534–1536A gilt copper plaque displaying in champlevé enamel the arms of Tonge (Azure, a bend cotised between six martlets) impaling White (Or, a chevron gules between three popinjays vert armed and langued gules within a bordure azure bezanty), dated 1554, survives in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. It is similar to Stall plates of Knights of the Garter used to denote seats reserved for the knights in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The whole is enclosed within a wreath. A motto in French is inscribed along the top: ESPOER EN DIEU (Hope in God) and an inscription in English beneath: The armys of the ryght worshepful Maister Tonge otherwyse called Maister Clarencivs and mesteris Susan hys wyfe.