Flag of Shropshire

Last updated

Shropshire
Flag of Shropshire.svg
Proportion3:5
AdoptedMarch 2012
DesignErminois, three piles issuant two from chief and one from base each bearing a leopard's head.
Designed byJohn Yates
Variant banner of arms County Flag of Shropshire.png
Variant banner of arms

The Shropshire flag is the county flag of Shropshire. It was registered with the Flag Institute in March 2012 and officially became the county's flag on 19 April 2013. [1] The flag has an ermine yellow field, with three piles bearing the faces of leopards. It was based on the banner of arms of Shropshire County Council, itself based on the flag of Shrewsbury, which was first recorded in the 17th century.

Contents

History

The flag is a banner of the arms of the former Shropshire (or Salop) County Council which were awarded in 1895. The "gold" erminois aspect differentiates the county arms/flag from those of its county town.

Leopard symbolism

The leopards' faces, referred to as "loggerheads" locally, are a traditional emblem for Shropshire and several of its towns. It is believed that the loggerheads derive from the Royal Arms of England and that the blue and yellow colours represent those of Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury. [2] Loggerheads also appeared on the Shrewsbury town arms, themselves first recorded in 1623, solidifying their connections to the local area. The name is thought to have originated from the practice of carving such a design on the head of the log used as a battering ram. [3] It is unclear whence the feline heads originated, though some speculate they were based on the three lions on the Coat of arms of England.

The species of the animal whose face is depicted is also debated - whether they are leopards, as it traditionally held, or lions. The idea that they're leopards originates with a late 17th century document, which describe the animals on the Shrewsbury arms as leopards, which seems to be the main source. It is not uncommon for feline representations in heraldry to be ambiguous. [4]

Although based on the town arms of Shrewsbury, the county council arms differ by moving the leopards’ faces from a shield to specifically appear on three “piles” (triangles), two pointing down and one up, forming an erminois “w” shape in the negative space. This is known in heraldry terminology a “fess dancetty”. These arms were awarded to the county council on June 18th 1896, shortly after its foundation and, according to the Flag Institute, were designed College of Arms, although there exists no record of why they opted for this change

Modern flag

The flag (with the short-lived "white" ermine pattern instead of the erminois) was flown above the Department for Communities and Local Government in April 2011 as part of a scheme to promote traditional English counties. [5] [6]

On 23 July 2019, the flag of Shropshire was flown among others in Parliament Square in celebration of Historic County Flags Day. [7]

Design

Erminois, three blue piles issuant two from chief and one from base each bearing a yellow leopard's head, all on a field of yellow. The design is classed as "Traditional" by the Flag Institute, as it is based on the banner of arms of the Shropshire county council, granted in 1895. The symbol of lions is based on the town coat of arms of Shrewsbury.

Colours

SchemeBlueYellowBlack
Refs [2]
Pantone (paper)Reflex BlueYellowBlack
HEX #001489#fedd00#000000
CMYK 100, 85, 0, 460, 13, 100, 00, 0, 0, 100
RGB 0, 21, 138254,221,00, 0, 0

References

  1. "Shropshire Flag". British County Flags. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  2. 1 2 Bartram, Graham. "Shropshire Flag". Flag Institute. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  3. "Shropshire flag". British County Flags. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  4. "Home - King Richard III Visitor Centre". King Richard III Visitor Centre. Archived from the original on 17 June 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  5. British County Flags Shropshire Flag
  6. Communities.gov.uk – Shropshire flag flies at Department for Communities and Local Government Date 18 April 2011
  7. Berry MP, Jake (23 July 2019). "Historic county flags flown at Parliament Square for first time". GOV.UK. Retrieved 23 July 2019.