One legend of its origin, generally considered
mythical, is that three convicted criminals who had committed a crime together were due to be executed in
Stafford gaol. There was argument over who should be hanged first but the hangman solved the problem by devising this knot and hanging the three simultaneously. This strongly suggests it pre-dates the
Norman and
medieval period, being probably either a heraldic symbol of early
Mercia or a
Celtic Christian symbol brought to Staffordshire by missionary monks from
Lindisfarne. The earliest known appearance of the knot in association with the Stafford family was on the 15th-century seal of Lady Joan de Stafford, Lady Wake (daughter of
Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford), who adapted the
Wake knot for her use. The seal, on which four knots appear tied on a string around her coat of arms, is now in the
British Museum. After Lady Wake died childless in 1443, her nephew
Humphrey de Stafford, 6th Earl of Stafford inherited her personal property. Humphrey, who was made the Duke of Buckingham the following year, incorporated his aunt's adaptation of the Wake knot as a cordon around his seal, although he used three knots and not four. Future earls of Stafford retained the knot for use on
heraldic badges, although the exact date of use is unknown. Early heraldic badges are poorly recorded, however, and many had multiple badges. In 1720, the
Earl of Stafford used 18 badges, including the Stafford knot, all enclosed in a circle of Stafford knots. This "Staffordshire knot" was also used as a
surgical suture in the 19th century. It was discarded by some as too dangerous, as the knot could slip if not tied correctly, and indeed, its use led to multiple deaths by haemorrhage. ==Usage==