Flag of Dorset
Encyclopedia
The Flag of Dorset is the flag
of the English county
of Dorset
. The 'Dorset Cross' was chosen as the flag of Dorset on 16 September 2008 following a public vote, open to all Dorset residents, and organised by Dorset County Council. The unitary authorities of Bournemouth (historically part of Hampshire) and Poole declined an invitation to participate. The flag has subsequently been registered at the Flag Institute
and added to their UK Flags Register.
coat of arms
appeared for commercial sale, and prompted calls for a Dorset flag to be officially created. The council's initial response was to reject these calls saying it had no authority to create a flag as its administrative area was not the same as the county itself. Following this, an independent campaign led by Dorset resident David White began to promote a flag that was conceived by Dorset expatriate Stephen Coombs and depicted by White himself. In April 2008 John Peake, the chairman of Dorset County Council, asked the Dorset public to submit other ideas for a Dorset flag through the local press. Designs were submitted until the end of June 2008.
Although the Bournemouth and Poole unitary authorities declined to participate in the event, council-sponsored voting took place from 12 August to 12 September and all residents of Dorset were eligible to vote. The Dorset Cross was announced as the winner on 16 September 2008 after receiving 54 per cent of the vote.
186), white and gold (pantone 116). These colours are found in the arms of Dorset County Council. The gold represents several things related to Dorset: Wessex
; the ancient Anglo-Saxon
kingdom, Dorset's agriculture, Dorset's sandy beaches, Golden Cap
, the highest point on the Jurassic Coast
and Gold Hill
, the nationally famous street in Shaftesbury
. The Dorset militia and regiment used the colours gold, red and green. The flag also recognises St. Wite, a female Dorset saint
who is buried at Whitchurch Canonicorum
. An Anglo-Saxon holy woman, she was thought to have been martyred by invading Danes in the 9th century.
The flag has been variously known as "The Dorset Cross", "St Wite's Cross" or simply "The Dorset Flag". The creators express a preference to "The Dorset Cross", due to its more secular nature.
coat of arms
includes three red lions passant guardant with a red fleur de lys
on a white background. Strictly speaking, the arms only represent Dorset County Council, rather than Dorset as a whole and officially, permission should be sought to use them.
Design A
Blue is for the sky and sea; yellow for sun and sand; and green for the fields and countryside.
Design C
The green background is synonymous with the county of Dorset and maintains our identity as a green and pleasant land. The yellow cross depicts the beautiful beaches we are fortunate to be blessed with. The oak leaf signifies the rural nature of this wonderful county, something most people living here are very proud of. The black border around the yellow cross signifies the black death that came to our shores and nearly wiped out the population but through our resilience as a people we overcame that threat and made us the proud people we are today.
Design D
The colours on the flag should show all the good things we have in Dorset. Blue for the sea and beaches; green for the countryside; and gold for the sand and because Dorset is a sunny place to live.
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 county
Counties of England
Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...
of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. The 'Dorset Cross' was chosen as the flag of Dorset on 16 September 2008 following a public vote, open to all Dorset residents, and organised by Dorset County Council. The unitary authorities of Bournemouth (historically part of Hampshire) and Poole declined an invitation to participate. The flag has subsequently been registered at the Flag Institute
Flag Institute
The Flag Institute is a research and documentation centre for flags and flag information, founded on St George's Day, 23 April 1971 by William Crampton and Captain EMC Barraclough CBE RN. Although not an official body, it is the principal advisor and designer of flags to the government of the...
and added to their UK Flags Register.
History
In 2007, an armorial banner of the Dorset County CouncilCounty council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
appeared for commercial sale, and prompted calls for a Dorset flag to be officially created. The council's initial response was to reject these calls saying it had no authority to create a flag as its administrative area was not the same as the county itself. Following this, an independent campaign led by Dorset resident David White began to promote a flag that was conceived by Dorset expatriate Stephen Coombs and depicted by White himself. In April 2008 John Peake, the chairman of Dorset County Council, asked the Dorset public to submit other ideas for a Dorset flag through the local press. Designs were submitted until the end of June 2008.
Although the Bournemouth and Poole unitary authorities declined to participate in the event, council-sponsored voting took place from 12 August to 12 September and all residents of Dorset were eligible to vote. The Dorset Cross was announced as the winner on 16 September 2008 after receiving 54 per cent of the vote.
The Flag
The Dorset flag is made of three colours - red (pantonePantone
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...
186), white and gold (pantone 116). These colours are found in the arms of Dorset County Council. The gold represents several things related to Dorset: Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
; the ancient Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
kingdom, Dorset's agriculture, Dorset's sandy beaches, Golden Cap
Golden Cap
Golden Cap is a hill and cliff situated between Bridport and Charmouth in Dorset, England. The cliffs are the highest point on the south coast of Great Britain. The name derives from the distinctive outcropping of golden Greensand rock present at the very top of the cliff.The hill is owned by the...
, the highest point on the Jurassic Coast
Jurassic Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
and Gold Hill
Gold Hill, Shaftesbury
Gold Hill is a hill and a famous street in Shaftesbury in the English county of Dorset. It is a steep cobbled street featured on the cover of countless books about Dorset and rural England, and in television commercials....
, the nationally famous street in Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury is a town in Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 miles west of Salisbury. The town is built 718 feet above sea level on the side of a chalk and greensand hill, which is part of Cranborne Chase, the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset...
. The Dorset militia and regiment used the colours gold, red and green. The flag also recognises St. Wite, a female Dorset saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
who is buried at Whitchurch Canonicorum
Whitchurch Canonicorum
Whitchurch Canonicorum or Whitechurch Canonicorum is a village in south-west Dorset, England, situated in the Marshwood Vale five miles northwest of Bridport.The village has a population of 647 ; 10.1% of dwellings are second homes...
. An Anglo-Saxon holy woman, she was thought to have been martyred by invading Danes in the 9th century.
The flag has been variously known as "The Dorset Cross", "St Wite's Cross" or simply "The Dorset Flag". The creators express a preference to "The Dorset Cross", due to its more secular nature.
Armorial Banner
The armorial banner of the Dorset County CouncilCounty council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
includes three red lions passant guardant with a red fleur de lys
Fleur de Lys
Fleur de Lys is a superheroine from Quebec and an ally of Northguard, created in 1984 by Mark Shainblum and Gabriel Morrissette. The name of the character is inspired by the heraldic symbol of the fleur de lys. It is the official emblem of Quebec and a prominent part of the Flag of Quebec...
on a white background. Strictly speaking, the arms only represent Dorset County Council, rather than Dorset as a whole and officially, permission should be sought to use them.
Contenders
The original four final designs were selected by an independent judging panel and shortlisted for public voting. Voting began in August and ended on the 12 September 2008, although this was not held in the form of an officially-constituted County referendum. The other three contenders are shown below along with the explanations submitted by their designers:Design A
Design C
Design D
External links
- Dorset Flag website
- [
Dorset Dorset Flag] at the Flag InstituteFlag InstituteThe Flag Institute is a research and documentation centre for flags and flag information, founded on St George's Day, 23 April 1971 by William Crampton and Captain EMC Barraclough CBE RN. Although not an official body, it is the principal advisor and designer of flags to the government of the... - Flags of the World entry for Dorset
- BBC Dorset article on flag