Gyron Explained

A gyron is a triangular heraldic ordinary having an angle at the fess point and the opposite side at the edge of the escutcheon. A shield divided into gyrons is called gyronny, the default is typically of eight if no number of gyrons is specified. The word gyron is derived from Old French, meaning 'gusset'.^[1] When a single gyron extends across so the tip touches the edge of the coat of arms, forming a square, it is called an esquire.^{[2] [3]}

The gyron rarely appears singly, but as a variation of the field, gyronny coats appear frequently. These most often appear as eight roughly equal parts, but occasionally a coat gyronny of six, ten, twelve or more parts may be specified.^[4]

See also

• Esquire (heraldry)
• Esquarre (heraldry)
• Gusset (heraldry)

Notes and References

1. Encyclopedia: Gyron . Concise Oxford English Dictionary . 11th . 2008 . Oxford . University Press . 9780199548415.
2. Thomas Robson, The British herald, or Cabinet of armorial bearings of the nobility & gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, 1830: ‘Esquire, equire, or squire, by Edmondson considered the same as the gyron, which must be wrong, because the gyron only extends to the centre fesse point; whereas the esquire, though of the same shape, runs across the whole field.’
3. Book: Stephen. Friar. A New Dictionary of Heraldry. London. 1987. Alphabooks/A&C Black. 0 906670 44 6. 139.
4. Book: Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles . 1909 . A Complete Guide to Heraldry . New York . Dodge Publishing Co . 137.