The Stafford knot, more commonly known as the Staffordshire knot, is a distinctive three-looped knot that is the traditional symbol of the English county of Staffordshire and of its county town, Stafford. It is a particular representation of the simple overhand knot, the most basic knot of all. Origins 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. The knot can be seen on a carved Anglo-Saxon cross in a churchyard in Stoke-upon-Trent, giving its name as the Staffordshire Knot and also on a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon object from the Staffordshire hoard. 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. The knot appears on a drawing of the standard of Sir Henry de Stafford, which was flown circa 1475. In a visitation of Stafford in 1583, the town's arms were recorded for the first time as or a chevron gules, a Stafford knot argent. These arms, which represent the traditional Stafford arms with the addition of the knot, is still the flag of Staffordshire (albeit with the knot changed from white to gold). 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,