Historical Context
Editorially reviewedThe Royal Museums Greenwich collections document the crowned or bordered fouled anchor across Royal Navy material culture. On the 1787–1812 flag-officer button, the rope passes beneath the stock and continues around the shank toward the fluke. A Victorian Royal Dockyard Battalion sword also carries a crown-and-fouled-anchor motif, showing the device’s continued official naval use during the 19th century.
Provenance: The principal early reference is a Royal Museums Greenwich flag officer’s button of the 1787–1812 pattern. A separately catalogued Royal Dockyard Battalion sword supplies a documented Victorian comparison; the two patterns should not be merged indiscriminately.
Research status: reviewed · reviewed 23/08/2026
Sources
2 referencesButton, Royal Naval uniform: pattern 1787–1812
Royal Museums Greenwich, “Button, Royal Naval uniform: pattern 1787–1812.” (Royal Museums Greenwich)
Supports: Documents the flag-officer button’s date, border, laurel branches and exact rope route around the anchor.
Royal Dockyard Battalion sword
Royal Museums Greenwich, “Royal Dockyard Battalion sword.” (Royal Museums Greenwich)
Supports: Documents a crown-and-fouled-anchor motif on a mid-19th-century naval dockyard battalion weapon.
How to cite this page
Fouled Anchor Badge — British Royal Navy, 18th–19th Century. Sanctum Hex Vault. Reviewed 23/08/2026. https://vault.sanctumhex.com/symbols/historically-documented-military-symbols-and-insignia-rank-branch-unit-and-identification-devices-from-c-1700-1918-fouled-anchor-badge-british-royal-navy-18th-19th-century
https://vault.sanctumhex.com/symbols/historically-documented-military-symbols-and-insignia-rank-branch-unit-and-identification-devices-from-c-1700-1918-fouled-anchor-badge-british-royal-navy-18th-19th-centuryBranch Device
Fouled Anchor Badge — British Royal Navy, 18th–19th Century
A cable wound around an anchor appears on documented Royal Navy buttons and weapons, with the route of the rope changing between official patterns.
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