Flag of Devon
Encyclopedia
The Flag of Devon is the flag
of the English
county of Devon
. It is dedicated to Saint Petroc
, a local saint with numerous dedications throughout the West Country
and particularly in Devon. It is notable for its creation through two web-based poll
s.
The flag was created in 2003 after two polls run by the BBC Devon website, the winning design taking 49% of the votes cast. The design was created by student Ryan Sealey.
Since its launch in 2003, the Devon Flag has gained popularity, and in October 2006 it gained "official" recognition when Devon County Council raised the flag outside County Hall. Although the Devon Flag is a new invention, the colours of the flag are those popularly identified with Devon (e.g. the colours of its Rugby Union
team, Exeter University and Plymouth Argyle F.C.
). Lord Exmouth
flew a dark green flag with white circles at the Bombardment of Algiers
(now on view at the Teign Valley Museum).
The Devon Flag is made of three colours — green (Pantone
348), black and white. The green represents the colour of the rolling and lush Devon hills, the black represents the high and windswept moors (Dartmoor
and Exmoor
) and the white represents both the salt spray of Devon's two coastlines and the China Clay
industry (and mining in general). The placement of the colours (specifically placing sable
on vert
) violates the heraldic rule of tincture
.
In April 2004 Rodney Lock of Ottery St Mary
in East Devon was threatened with legal action for flying a Devon flag in his back garden, as he required planning permission to fly non-national flags. Since then the Minister for Housing, Keith Hill, has said local authorities can officially "turn a blind eye" to the practice of flying the county flag from poles.
nationalists, who accuse it of being an attempt to 'hijack' their culture. It is also claimed the flag is too similar to Cornish flag
. However, the flag also bears resemblance to other flags of the United Kingdom
. Another issue is its identification with St Petroc, who is also associated with Cornwall (though not with the Cornish Flag).
Indeed, Bob Burns, who started the original debate, cited the visibility of the Cornish Flag as one of his reasons "Devonians are only too aware of the ubiquitous Cornish Flag, which can often be seen in the form of car bumper stickers, on vehicles entering Devon from Cornwall."
Dr Mark Stoyle, a Devon historian, noted that "People are quite aware in Devon that the Cornish make political capital by claiming to be different." He also suggested that the new-found Devonian identity was a backlash against city-dwellers.
Flag
A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
of the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. It is dedicated to Saint Petroc
Saint Petroc
Saint Petroc is a 6th century Celtic Christian saint. He was born in Wales but primarily ministered to the Britons of Dumnonia which included the modern counties of Devon , Cornwall , and parts of Somerset and Dorset...
, a local saint with numerous dedications throughout the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
and particularly in Devon. It is notable for its creation through two web-based poll
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
s.
History
Since its launch in 2003, the Devon Flag has gained popularity, and in October 2006 it gained "official" recognition when Devon County Council raised the flag outside County Hall. Although the Devon Flag is a new invention, the colours of the flag are those popularly identified with Devon (e.g. the colours of its Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team, Exeter University and Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
). Lord Exmouth
Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth
Admiral Sir Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth, GCB was a British naval officer. He fought during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary, and the Napoleonic Wars...
flew a dark green flag with white circles at the Bombardment of Algiers
Bombardment of Algiers
The Bombardment of Algiers was an attempt by Britain to end the slavery practices of the Dey of Algiers. An Anglo-Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Lord Exmouth bombarded ships and the harbour defences of Algiers....
(now on view at the Teign Valley Museum).
The Devon Flag is made of three colours — green (Pantone
Pantone
Pantone Inc. is a corporation headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey, USA. The company is best known for its Pantone Matching System , a proprietary color space...
348), black and white. The green represents the colour of the rolling and lush Devon hills, the black represents the high and windswept moors (Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
and Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
) and the white represents both the salt spray of Devon's two coastlines and the China Clay
Kaolinite
Kaolinite is a clay mineral, part of the group of industrial minerals, with the chemical composition Al2Si2O54. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral sheet of alumina octahedra...
industry (and mining in general). The placement of the colours (specifically placing sable
Sable (heraldry)
In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
on vert
Vert
The colour green is commonly found in modern flags and coat of arms, and to a lesser extent also in the classical heraldry of the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period....
) violates the heraldic rule of tincture
Rule of tincture
The first rule of heraldic design is the rule of tincture: metal should not be put on metal, nor colour on colour . This means that Or and argent may not be placed on each other; nor may any of the colours be placed on another colour...
.
In April 2004 Rodney Lock of Ottery St Mary
Ottery St Mary
Ottery St Mary, known as "Ottery" , is a town in the East Devon district of Devon, England, on the River Otter, about ten miles east of Exeter on the B3174. It is part of a large civil parish of the same name, which also covers the villages of West Hill, Metcombe, Fairmile, Alfington, Tipton St...
in East Devon was threatened with legal action for flying a Devon flag in his back garden, as he required planning permission to fly non-national flags. Since then the Minister for Housing, Keith Hill, has said local authorities can officially "turn a blind eye" to the practice of flying the county flag from poles.
Criticism
The creation of the flag has drawn particular criticism from CornishCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
nationalists, who accuse it of being an attempt to 'hijack' their culture. It is also claimed the flag is too similar to Cornish flag
Saint Piran's Flag
Saint Piran's Flag is the flag of Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The earliest known description of the flag as the Standard of Cornwall was written in 1838. It is used by Cornish people as a symbol of identity. It is a white cross on a black background....
. However, the flag also bears resemblance to other flags of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Another issue is its identification with St Petroc, who is also associated with Cornwall (though not with the Cornish Flag).
Indeed, Bob Burns, who started the original debate, cited the visibility of the Cornish Flag as one of his reasons "Devonians are only too aware of the ubiquitous Cornish Flag, which can often be seen in the form of car bumper stickers, on vehicles entering Devon from Cornwall."
Dr Mark Stoyle, a Devon historian, noted that "People are quite aware in Devon that the Cornish make political capital by claiming to be different." He also suggested that the new-found Devonian identity was a backlash against city-dwellers.
When to fly the Devon Flag
The Devon flag group have suggested the following dates as days when it is appropriate for the Devon flag to be flown. Most of them are either the days of local events or the feast days of Devon's saints. It is also flown outside of these days, especially in rural towns.- 4 January - St Rumon of Tavistock and Romansleigh
- 7 January - St BrannockSaint BrannockBrannoc of Braunton or Saint Brannock was a Christian saint associated with the village of Braunton in the English county of Devon.Brannock is believed to have migrated from South Wales to establish a monastery at Braunton in the 6th century. He is believed to have been buried there...
of BrauntonBrauntonBraunton is situated west of Barnstaple, Devon, England and is claimed to be the largest village in England, with a population in 2001 of 7,510. It is home to the nearby Braunton Great Field and Braunton Burrows, a National Nature and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.... - 5 March - St Piran, patron saint of tin miners
- 7 April - St BrannockSaint BrannockBrannoc of Braunton or Saint Brannock was a Christian saint associated with the village of Braunton in the English county of Devon.Brannock is believed to have migrated from South Wales to establish a monastery at Braunton in the 6th century. He is believed to have been buried there...
, as celebrated in ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the... - May Bank Holiday, Anniversary of first time Devon Flag Flown at World Gig ChampionshipCornish pilot gigThe Cornish pilot gig is a six-oared rowing boat, built of Cornish narrow leaf elm, long with a beam of four feet ten inches.It is recognised as one of the first shore-based lifeboats that went to vessels in distress, with recorded rescues going back as far as the late 17th century.The original...
2003, Isles of ScillyIsles of ScillyThe Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part... - May/June - Devon County Show
- 3 June - St KevinKevin of GlendaloughSaint Cóemgen , popularly anglicized to Kevin is an Irish saint who was known as the founder and first abbot of Glendalough in County Wicklow, Ireland.-Life:...
- 4 June - St Petroc, for whom the flag is dedicated
- 5 June - St Boniface of CreditonCreditonCrediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...
- 6 June - St Gudwal, hermit of Devon
- 17 June - St Nectan, patron of HartlandHartland, DevonThe town of Hartland, which incorporates the hamlet of Stoke to the west and the village of Meddon in the south, is the most north-westerly settlement in the county of Devon, England....
- 21/22 June - Midsummers dayMidsummerMidsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
- 8 July - St UrithUrithUrith , was a south-western Brythonic maiden, slain, possibly in the early 8th century and subsequently revered as a saint. The name is still common in the English county of Devon.-History:Urith is a fairly obscure figure...
- 13 July - St JuthwareJuthwaraSaint Juthwara was a British virgin and martyr from Dorset, who probably lived in the 6th century. Her relics were translated to Sherborne during the reign of Ethelred the Unready...
- 30 July - Anniversary of battle against Spanish ArmadaSpanish ArmadaThis article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
- 1 August - St Sidwell, virgin of ExeterExeterExeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
- 10 August - St GeraintGeraintGeraint is a character from Welsh folklore and Arthurian legend, a king of Dumnonia and a valiant warrior. He may have lived during or shortly prior to the reign of the historical Arthur, but some scholars doubt he ever existed...
of DumnoniaDumnoniaDumnonia is the Latinised name for the Brythonic kingdom in sub-Roman Britain between the late 4th and late 8th centuries, located in the farther parts of the south-west peninsula of Great Britain... - 30 August - St Rumon
- 26 September - Anniversary of Sir Francis DrakeFrancis DrakeSir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
's Circumnavigation of the World - 2 November - St Cumgar
- 5 November - St Kea
- 7 November - St Congar
- 8 December - St Budoc (St Budeaux) of PlymouthPlymouthPlymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
- 12 December - St Corentin
- 21/22 December - MidwinterWinter solsticeWinter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
- 31 Dec to 6 Jan - New Years Eve to Twelfth NightTwelfth Night (holiday)Twelfth Night is a festival in some branches of Christianity marking the coming of the Epiphany and concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas.It is defined by the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as "the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the...
External links
- BBC article on flag
- www.DevonFlag.co.uk - Devon based e-tailer
- Flags of the World - The origins of the flag
- Devon Flag Group