Flanches (often spelled flaunches or flanch) are a paired heraldic charge formed by two broad curved segments that push in from the left and right edges of the shield. Each side is drawn as an arc of a circle, so the field looks “pinched” at the flanks, and the key rule is that they are not borne singly. Definitions consistently describe them as “two curved segments encroaching on a heraldic field” (Merriam-Webster) and as two circular arcs protruding into the field from the sides (Flaunch, Wikipedia). In practice, flanches read like a formal framing device: they narrow attention onto the central charges, create strong contrast areas for tincture, and can make a simple coat look structured without adding clutter.

Symbolically, flanches are best understood through function. Because they sit on the “flanks” of the shield, they are often interpreted as guardianship, enclosure, or support, suggesting protection, patronage, or a community held together by boundaries and responsibilities. That said, heraldry rarely assigns a universal meaning to an ordinary, and flanches are frequently chosen for visual balance, for marshalling, or to provide a place for additional charges. They can even be charged themselves, just like other ordinaries, and some designs let the arcs meet in the middle or use rarer variants such as square flaunches (Flaunch, Wikipedia).

For concrete examples, Parker’s glossary records historic arms such as “Or, two flaunches gules” for Lanercost Priory, and also notes cases where flaunches carry charges, including ecclesiastical usage (Flaunches, DrawShield Parker reference). Modern civic heraldry uses them too, with Wikipedia citing bodies such as Harlow District Council and Forest of Dean District Council, and showing them in the arms of Mary Anne Disraeli, Viscountess Beaconsfield (Flaunch, Wikipedia). For an image-rich browse, see Category:Flaunches in heraldry (Wikimedia Commons)