A Loyal Beast

Commissioned by Henry VIII, the vigilant greyhound stands on the Moat Bridge at Hampton Court Palace as a heraldic supporter of the king. 

The King of the Joust

Differentiating it from the other beasts on the Moat Bridge, the Greyhound of Richmond holds a shield used in tournaments for jousting, one of Henry VIII’s favoured pastimes. 

A Heraldic Symbol

Standing upright and alert with pricked ears and crown collar, the greyhound on the Moat Bridge is a heraldic symbol inherited from the House of Lancaster.