The Historic Counties Trust

County	Flag	Description	UK Flag Registry
Aberdeenshire		Gold recalls ripe barley and the whisky produced from it. Purple symbolises the heather-covered mountains. The white castle bearing a crown represents Aberdeenshire’s many castles and, more specifically, the royal residence of Balmoral.	Registered 2023
Anglesey		Hwyfa's Banner Derives from arms attributed by mediæval heralds to a celebrated 12th-century local ruler, Hwfa ap Cynddelw, reputedly steward to Owain Gwynedd. The first reference to these arms appears in the work of Lewys Glyn Cothi, a 15th-century bard.	Registered 2014
Angus	-	No flag at present.
Antrim	-	No flag at present.
Argyllshire	-	No flag at present.
Armagh	-	No flag at present.
Ayrshire	-	No flag at present.
Banffshire		Stylised sun on horizontal bands of orange and blue, together evoke Banffshire’s coast, rivers and sunsets, and also its agriculture and whisky. White horizontal band forms a stylised bridge, evoking the bridges that are such a defining feature of the Banffshire landscape.	Registered 2023
Bedfordshire		From banner of arms of the former Bedfordshire County Council. Red and yellow quadrants from the Beauchamp coat of arms. Vertically black panel with three escallops from the arms of the Dukes of Bedford. Horizontal blue and white wavy lines represent the Great Ouse.	Registered 2014
Berkshire		Stag and oak symbol has long represented Berkshire. Michael Drayton cited it in 'The Bataille of Agincourt' (1627). A red stag ‘royally attired’ with twelve-point antlers evokes Berkshire’s title as the ‘Royal County of Berkshire’, its forests and its herds of deer.	Registered 2017
Berwickshire		Blue and green panels evoke Berwickshire’s coast, rivers and land. Chain represents the Union Chain Bridge, symbolising Berwickshire’s linking role between the two nations. Salmon represents importance of sea and coarse fishing. Ear of barley represents local agriculture.	Registered 2023
Brecknockshire		Based on the arms attributed in the mediæval period to Brychan, 5th-century King of Brycheiniog, later informally used by Brecknockshire County Council. Though not yet included in the UK Flag Registry, the flag is widely used by county societies and sports teams.	Not Registered
Buckinghamshire		Swan emblem and red and black livery colours are from banner of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham (1402-1460). Swan emblem dates from Anglo-Saxon times when Buckinghamshire was known for breeding swans for the king.	Registered 2011
Buteshire	-	No flag at present.
Caernarfonshire		Owain's Eagles Mediæval heralds attributed these arms to Owain Gwynedd (1100-70), King of Gwynedd. Three golden eagles on a green field represent the legendary birds of Eryri, or ‘nest of eagles’ (Snowdonia). Many local nobles used them in mediæval times.	Registered 2023
Caithness		Nordic cross symbolises ancient ties to the Vikings. Black field recalls Caithness flagstone and the Flow Country. Gold and blue evoke beaches, sea and maritime nature of Caithness. Golden galley is traditional emblem of Caithness. Raven is from Caithness coats-of-arms.	Registered 2016
Cambridgeshire		Three gold crowns represent the wider region of East Anglia. Blue field also uses the same shade as the East Anglia Flag. Wavy lines represent the River Cam, in the light blue of Cambridge University.	Registered 2015
Cardiganshire		A gold lion reguardant on a black field, attributed as the arms of the ancient Welsh ruler Gwaithfoed and his kingdom of Ceredigion. Though not yet included in the UK Flag Registry, the earliest reference to the flag dates from 1611 and the flag enjoys widespread usage throughout the county.	Not Registered
Carmarthenshire	-	No flag at present.
Cheshire		Features the banner of arms granted in 1938 to the former Cheshire County Council. Golden wheatsheaves on blue have been a symbol of the earldom of Chester since the late 12th century.The sword is a reference to Cheshire’s status as a county palatine.	Registered 2023
Clackmannanshire	-	No flag at present.
Cornwall		St Piran's Cross Earliest known reference is from Davies Gilbert (1838), "a white cross on a black ground, formerly the banner of St Perran and the Standard of Cornwall; probably with some allusion to the black ore and the white metal of tin".	Registered 2007
County Durham		Based on the St Cuthbert’s cross, discovered in his tomb in 1827. The blue and yellow colour scheme has appeared in the arms and symbols of the various authorities that have administered County Durham through the ages.	Registered 2013
Cromartyshire	-	No flag at present.
Cumberland		Re-working of banner of arms of the former Cumberland County Council. The blue and white wavy lines symbolise the coastline and famous lakes. The green upper half with Grass-of-Parnassus flowers recalls the county's marshy up-lands and fertile plains.	Registered 2012
Denbighshire	-	No flag at present.
Derbyshire		Blue is one of the traditional colours of Derbyshire and represents its many rivers and reservoirs. The green cross reflects the lushness of the county and marks its position at the centre of England. The rose is in gold to symbolise the quality of Derbyshire people.	Registered 2008
Devon		St Petroc's Cross The green is held to represent the county’s rolling lush hills and black the high windswept moors of Dartmoor and Exmoor, while the white represents both the salt spray of Devon’s two coastlines and the China Clay industry.	Registered 2007
Dorset		St Wite's Cross The red, white and gold come from the Dorset coat of arms. The red and white also evokes England. Gold symbolises Dorset’s agricultural heritage and sandy beaches. The flag represents Dorset’s patron saint, whose shrine is in Whitchurch Canonicorum.	Registered 2008
Down	-	No flag at present.
Dumfriesshire	-	No flag at present.
Dunbartonshire	-	No flag at present.
East Lothian		Voided saltire recalls Athelstaneford, birthplace of Scotland’s national flag. Blue field evokes the Scottish saltire, as well as the Esk and Tyne. Gold represents the role of the county as Scotland’s granary. Central golden lion rampant represents the county’s mediæval history.	Registered 2018
Essex		Flag is ancient in origin and features three notched Saxon seaxes on a red field. Earliest references to its use to represent the county date from the 17th century. John Speed included the flag in his atlas The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine (1611/12).	Registered 2007
Fermanagh	-	No flag at present.
Fife	-	No flag at present.
Flintshire		Edwin's Cross or Tegeingl Banner Four choughs in each quarter of a black engrailed flory cross on white. Banner of the arms posthumously assigned to Edwin ap Gronwy, the 11th-century lord of Tegeingl, the cantref which formed the core of Flintshire.	Registered 2015
Glamorgan		Iestyn's Chevrons Banner of the arms attributed to Iestyn ap Gwrgant (1045—93), the last native ruler of Morgannwg. Iestyn’s descendant Lleision d’Avene made the first recorded use of the arms in the 12th century. Since then they have symbolised the county of Glamorgan.	Registered 2013
Gloucestershire		Severn Cross The green represents the rural nature of the county, the blue represents the River Severn, and the yellow represents Cotswold Stone. The flag was named by its designer, Jeremy Bentall, in reference to the county's major waterway, the River Severn.	Registered 2008
Hampshire		The flag retains the rose and crown pattern used in the county for several centuries, earliest known reference from 1681. The bi-colour of yellow and red appears in the banner of arms granted to Hampshire County Council in 1992 and has been more widely adopted.	Registered 2019
Herefordshire		The red field represents the famous red earth of the county and also evokes the reddish-brown coat of Hereford cattle. In the top centre is the head of a Hereford bull. Below this, three alternate wavy stripes in blue and white represent the River Wye.	Registered 2019
Hertfordshire		Formed from the arms awarded to Hertfordshire County Council in 1925. The blue and white waves represent the many rivers of the county. The shield (escutcheon) bearing a hart, from the arms of the Borough of Hertford, is a punning reference to the name of the shire.	Registered 2008
Huntingdonshire		Gold beribboned hunting horn on a green field, from the crest of the former Huntingdonshire County Council coat of arms (1937). The hunting horn also appears in older civic heraldry.	Registered 2009
Inverness-shire	-	No flag at present.
Kent		Invicta Flag The traditional flag of Kent, supposedly based on that of Horsa, the Jute. Horsa was the brother of Hengest, who founded the Kingdom of Kent in 449. The first recorded reference is from 1605.	Registered 2007
Kincardineshire	-	No flag at present.
Kinross-shire	-	No flag at present.
Kirkcudbrightshire		The green and white quarters represent the checked cloth used by the Stewards of the Lords of Galloway to count taxes. Overlaying these is a St Cuthbert’s cross. The remains of St Cuthbert lay in Kirkcudbright for 7 years following their exhumation on Lindisfarne.	Registered 2016
Lanarkshire	-	No flag at present.
Lancashire		Features the traditional red rose of Lancashire, first used as a royal badge by Henry III, who adopted his golden rose from his wife, Eleanor of Provence. Red and yellow are also the livery colours of the county.	Registered 2008
Leicestershire		The red and white zigzag (dancetté) background derives from the arms of Simon de Montfort. The cinquefoil comes from the arms of the de Beaumont Earls of Leicester. The running fox appears on the county crest and is used by many county organisations.	Registered 2021
Lincolnshire		Red cross and gold Fleur de Lys from the arms of Lincoln. Green and blue quadrants represent the county’s agriculture and the sea off its long coastline and wide blue skies. Gold-edging to the cross references the county's golden crops and “Yellerbellies” nickname of its people.	Registered 2005
Londonderry	-	No flag at present.
Merionethshire		The design derives from the seal used by the former Merionethshire County Council. This seal derived from Michael Drayton's description of the banner borne by the men of Meirionnydd in his poem ‘Agincourt’ (1627) - "three goats dancing ‘gainst a rising sun".	Registered 2015
Middlesex		Sharing an origin, the same emblem bearing three gold hilted, white seaxes on a red background, was used in Essex and Middlesex. The differentiating gold Saxon crown was added in 1909 in the arms granted to the former Middlesex County Council.	Registered 2007
Midlothian	-	No flag at present.
Monmouthshire		Inyr's Banner Based on the arms attributed by mediæval heralds to the 6th-century King Inyr of Gwent. The design forms the basis of the arms used by the Diocese of Monmouth and was included in the arms granted to the former Monmouthshire County Council in 1948.	Registered 2011
Mongomeryshire	-	No flag at present.
Morayshire		The green hoist and golden wheatsheaf recall Morayshire’s rich agricultural output, while the wavy blue and green references the sea and sand of the coast. It also represents the origin of the name Moray, which derives from the Gaelic or Pictish denoting a connection with the sea.	Registered 2023
Nairnshire	-	No flag at present.
Norfolk		de Guader Banner The banner of the arms of Ralph (Ranulph) de Gael (de Guader), first Earl of Norfolk (1071—5), has represented the county throughout the centuries. It forms the basis of many county emblems, including the arms of Norfolk County Council (1904).	Registered 2014
Northamptonshire		The cross represents the county’s position at the crossroads of England. Maroon and gold are the county colours, while black references the leather industry. A red rose is a long recognised county emblem, the county’s soubriquet being “The Rose of the Shires”.	Registered 2014
Northumberland		From the arms of Northumberland County Council, though of long traditional use dating back possibly to 7th-century King Oswald of Northumbria. The dividing 'embattled' line, added when the arms were awarded in 1951, symbolises the interlocking stones of Hadrian’s Wall.	Registered 2007
Nottinghamshire		A white-fimbriated red St George's Cross on a green background, and a green silhouette of James Woodford's bronze statue of Robin Hood on a white shield. The cross marks Nottinghamshire’s location at the centre of England. The green represents the county's pastures and woodlands.	Registered 2011
Orkney		St Magnus' Cross The form of the flag, an offset cross, reflects the archipelago’s Scandinavian heritage. The red and yellow colours link to the red and yellow Scottish and Norwegian Royal Standards, with blue for the sea that surrounds the island group.	Registered 2007
Oxfordshire		From the coat of arms awarded to Oxfordshire County Council in 1949. Includes the blue of Oxford University, the white wavy stripes representing the Thames. The arrangement of an “ox” and a “ford” alludes to the county town. The golden wheat sheaf and oak tree represent the county's agriculture and woods.	Registered 2017
Peeblesshire	-	No flag at present.
Pembrokeshire		Dating form the 1970s, the flag is a yellow St David’s cross on blue. In the centre is a Tudor rose symbolising Henry VII, born in Pembroke Castle. The colours of blue and green evoke the sea, land and cliffs of Pembrokeshire.	Registered 2008
Perthshire	-	No flag at present.
Radnorshire	-	No flag at present.
Renfrewshire	-	No flag at present.
Ross-shire	-	No flag at present.
Roxburghshire	-	No flag at present.
Rutland		Derived from banner of the arms of Rutland County Council, granted in 1950. Golden horseshoe on green, the traditional emblem of Rutland since at least 1784. The semy of golden acorns evokes Rutland’s status as England’s smallest county.	Registered 2015
Selkirkshire	-	No flag at present.
Shetland		Designed in 1969 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the transfer of Shetland from Norway to Scotland, the colours come from the Scottish flag, and the cross shape from Scandinavian tradition.	Registered 2007
Shropshire		Derived from the former Shropshire County Council’s banner of arms (1895), which featured three leopard faces. These ‘loggerheads’ form the traditional emblem of the county. They derive in turn from the 15th-century arms and seal of Shrewsbury.	Registered 2013
Somerset		A red dragon on a gold field, the traditional emblem of Somerset. Although chosen in a competition, the design was basically traditional, being derived from devices borne by Alfred the Great and his kinsmen.	Registered 2013
Staffordshire		The gold field and red chevron of the de Stafford coat of arms. Upon the chevron is the badge of the de Stafford family, a golden knot. Organisations have used the de Stafford arms and badge to represent the wider county since at least the 17th century.	Registered 2016
Stirlingshire	-	No flag at present.
Suffolk		On a field of blue, in yellow is the Suffolk emblem of a crown and crossed arrows, attributed to St Edmund, the king of East Anglia, murdered by the Vikings in 869. A shrine and cult developed in Bury St Edmunds, the emblem coming to represent the county as a whole.	Registered 2017
Surrey		Warenne Checks Gold and blue check pattern, from the arms of the de Warenne family, Earls of Surrey. The checks also appear in flag form at the siege of Caerlaverock Castle (1300), representing the Earl of Surrey. The checks became associated with the county of Surrey.	Registered 2014
Sussex		Six gold martlets on an azure field, the traditional emblem of Sussex. The origins of the emblem may lie in mediæval personal heraldry. Cartographer John Speed made its first recorded use to denote the kingdom of the South Saxons in 1611.	Registered 2011
Sutherland		The design reflects Sutherland’s history as the Viking ‘South Land’. The two crosses denote the meeting of Scotland and Norway. Black recalls Sutherland’s dark skies and the peaty soil. The yellow star evokes the sun that shines highest in the south. It also reflects Sutherland’s two coasts: the sunrises of the east and the sunsets of the west.	Registered 2018
Tyrone	-	No flag at present.
Warwickshire		The flag features the traditional bear and rugged staff used since the Middle Ages to represent the Earldom of Warwick. Many military, administrative, sporting and civic entities have employed it over the centuries.	Registered 2016
West Lothian	-	No flag at present.
Westmorland		The flag displays a golden heraldic apple tree (for Appleby) on white and red bars (for Kendal). The design derives from the shield from the coat of arms (1926) of the former Westmorland County Council.	Registered 2012
Wigtownshire	-	No flag at present.
Wiltshire		A great bustard in gold on a solid green circle. The rim of this circle comprises 6 sections in green and white, evoking the stone circles of Stonehenge and Avebury. A field of alternate green and white wavy lines represent the county’s open grassland and underlying chalk.	Registered 2009
Worcestershire		Three Worcestershire black pears on a white shield. Behind them is a background of wavy green and blue lines representing the county’s rivers and hills.	Registered 2013
Yorkshire		The white rose is the traditional symbol of Yorkshire. Placed on a blue background, it has been flown as the flag of Yorkshire since at least the 1960s, possibly since much earlier. The white rose, as the symbol of the House of York, originated with the first Duke of York, Edmund of Langley, in the 14th century.	Registered 2008

County Flags