By Letters Patent dated 8th April 1954, the College of Arms granted armorial bearings to the Ripley Urban District Council in the following terms: "Vert on a chevron or between in chief two stags' heads caboshed and in base a fleur de lys argent a chevronel sable surmounted by a Tudor rose barbed and seeded proper all within a bordure also argent thereon six horseshoes also sable. And for the crest, on a wreath of the colours, out of a mural crown sable flames proper issuant therefrom a Unicorn's head argent armed and crined or charged with three spearheads erect one and two goles."

The green background of the shield refers to the Royal Forest of Duffield which gives the ancient background of the district. The stags' heads, another reference to the Forest, are also from the arms of the Cavendish Dukes of Devonshire who came into possession of Ripley after the Dissolution.

The chevron is for Heage or "Highedge" and also for the hilly character of the situation of Ripley. The black thinner chevron represents the coal seam lying beneath, and the Tudor rose, from the County arms, also refers to Coronation year, in which the grant of arms was sought.

The fleur de lys is from a seal attributed to Darley Abbey, and is also the emblem of St. Mary patron of Crich, part of which is in the District.

As the whole area was formerly in the protection of Darley Abbey, the arms are surrounded by a white border with six black horseshoes from the arms of its founders, the Ferrers family.

The closed helm proper to civic arms carries the decorative mantling and crest-wreath in the main colours of the arms, green and gold. Above is the crest.

The black mural or walled crown denotes a mining town, and the unicorn's head, adapted from the Wright crest which is used by the Butterley Company, rises from the flames suggesting the local heavy industries.

The motto: "Ingenium industria alitur" or "Skill is fostered by diligence", or in another sense, "Character thrives on hard work" or "Ability thrives on industry, is a quotation from Cicero.

The arms were designed by H. Ellis Tomlinson, M.A., of Poulton-le-Fylde. The Armorial Bearings were transferred to Ripley Town Council following Local Government Re-organisation in 1974.

Former Mayors

• RIPLEY PARISH COUNCIL - CHAIRMEN 1974-1976
  • 1974-1975 Councillor Mrs M H A Emmas-Williams
  • 1975-1976 Councillor G H Stone
  
  
• RIPLEY TOWN COUNCIL - MAYORS 1976-Onwards
  • 1976-1977 Councillor T Dexter
  • 1977-1978 Councillor S Flint
  • 1985-1986 Councillor M B Gent, JP
  • 1978-1979 Councillor K Hartshorne
  • 1979-1980 Councillor J F Grace
  • 1980-1981 Councillor W H Emmas-Williams
  • 1981-1982 Councillor M B Gent, JP
  • 1982-1983 Councillor D R Neilson
  • 1983-1984 Councillor Mrs M H A Emmas-Williams
  • 1984-1985 Councillor W Pickering
  • 1986-1987 Councillor RK Harby
  • 1987-1988 Councillor JF Grace
  • 1988-1989 Councillor C Cutting
  • 1989-1990 Councillor Mrs J Cutting
  • 1990-1991 Councillor M J Hawkins
  • 1991-1992 Councillor H R Emmas-Williams
  • 1992-1993 Councillor Mrs M E Kent
  • 1993-1994 Councillor Mrs J Cutting
  • 1994-1995 Councillor Mrs S A Ragsdale
  • 1995-1996 Councillor H R Emmas-Williams
  • 1996-1997 Councillor M C Hooley
  • 1997-1998 Councillor Mrs I S N Harry
  • 1998-1999 Councillor Mrs H Shaw
  • 1999-2000 Councillor M C Hooley
  • 2000-2001 Councillor M B Gent JP
  • 2001-2002 Councillor S M Daley
  • 2002-2003 Councillor S D Freeborn
  • 2003-2004 Councillor M J Missett
  • 2004-2005 Councillor W G Fryer MBE
  • 2005-2006 Councillor Mrs I S N Harry
  • 2006-2007 Councillor C Cutting
  • 2007-2008 Councillor R A P Phillips-Forsyth