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| List of UK flags |
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This is alist of English flags, including symbolic national and sub-national flags, standards and banners used exclusively inEngland.TheCollege of Arms is the authority on the flying of flags in England and maintains the only official register of flags. It was established in 1484 and as part of theRoyal Household operates under the authority ofThe Crown.[1] A separate private body called theFlag Institute, financed by its own membership, also maintains a registry of United Kingdom flags that it styles 'the UK Flag Registry', though this has no official status under English law.[2]
Certain classes of flag enjoy a special status withinEnglish planning law and can be flown without needingplanning permission asadvertisements. These include any country'snational flag,civil ensign orcivil air ensign; the flag of theCommonwealth, theUnited Nations or any other international organisation of which the United Kingdom is a member; a flag of anyisland,county,district,borough,burgh,parish,city,town orvillage within the United Kingdom; the flag of theBlack Country,East Anglia,Wessex, anyPart of Lincolnshire, anyRiding of Yorkshire or anyhistoric county within the United Kingdom; theflag of St David; theflag of St Patrick; the flag of any administrative area within any country outside the United Kingdom; any flag ofHis Majesty's Armed Forces; theArmed Forces Day flag;[3] and the flags of theNational Health Service. The flag of theEuropean Union previously held this special status but this was revoked and instead granted to the flags of the NHS on 24 March 2021, owing to heightened advocacy for the latter institution brought about by theCOVID-19 pandemic and following theUnited Kingdom's departure from the European Union on 31 January 2020.[4] The flag of theCouncil of Europe, identical to the flag of the European Union, is allowed to be flown however.
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1417–Present | Flag of England (also known as theSt George's Cross) | A centred red cross on a white background, 3:5.[5] |
.svg) | A vertical centred red cross on a white background. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1042–1066 | Former Royal Banner of England (Attributed) | A golden cross with fleur-de-lis ends over a blue field, surrounded by five golden martlets. This former Royal Banner was used bySt Edward the Confessor, one of the lastAnglo-SaxonEnglish kings. |
 | circa 1200 | PresentRoyal Banner of England | Three gold lions (or leopards) passant on a red field. The Royal Banner of England is based on theRoyal arms of England. The banner is neither a national flag or a royal standard, and only represents the ruling monarch exclusively in England. The Banner of England is included within the currentRoyal Standard, along with heraldic devices from the other constituent parts of the United Kingdom. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Standard of theDuchy of Lancaster | The Royal Banner of England, with a three-point label, each containing threefleurs-de-lis | |
.svg) | 1305 | Standard of theLord Warden of the Cinque Ports | A banner of the Lord's coat of arms, featuring three lions passant guardant conjoined to three hulls, all in gold |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1417–Present | Flag of England (also known as theSt George's Cross) | A centred red cross on a white background, 3:5.[5] Churches belonging to the Church of England which have a pole may fly St George's Cross. A desirable variant is for the church to fly the flag with the arms of the diocese in the canton (left-hand upper corner). |
 | Flag ofWestminster Abbey | Tudor arms betweenTudor roses, above arms attributed toEdward the Confessor | |
 | Flag of theChurch of St Margaret, Westminster Abbey | A blue flag defaced in the centre with a gold dragon's head pierced by a cross, and a gold crowned portcullis in the canton. | |
 | 2014 | Flag ofExeter Cathedral | The coat of arms of Exeter Cathedral on a field of blue. |
 | Flag ofSouthwark Cathedral | A banner of the Cathedral's coat of arms. | |
 | Flag ofWorcester Cathedral | The Cross of Saint George defaced with the coat of arms of Worcester Cathedral in the canton. | |
 | 2013 | Flag of theChurch of St James the Great, Birlingham | The Cross of Saint George impaled with a blue field defaced with three gold scallop shells of Saint James (two on the left and one on the right). |
 | Flag ofSt James Church, Quedgeley[6] | Three gold scallop shells of Saint James (two above and one below) on a field of red. | |
 | Flag ofSaint Aldhelm | A white cross on a red field. | |
 | 2021 | Flag ofSaint Augustine of Canterbury[7] | A white cross on a black field with a gold bishop's pallium topped by a small gold cross in the canton. |
 | Flag ofSaint Edmund the Martyr | A red Saint George's Cross on a white field, defaced in the centre with a blue shield bearing two crossed gold arrows passing through a gold crown. | |
 | Flag ofSaint Peter, Westminster Abbey | Two crossed gold keys beneath a gold ring on a field of red. The symbols represent the two Patron Saints of the Abbey: the ring of Saint Edward the Confessor (founder of the Abbey), and thekeys of Saint Peter. | |
 | Flag ofSaint Richard of Chichester | A white cross on a red field with a white chalice in each quarter. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flag of theDiocese of Bath and Wells | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Bath and Wells in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Birmingham | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Birmingham in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Blackburn | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Blackburn in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Bristol | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Bristol in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Canterbury | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Canterbury in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Carlisle | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Carlisle in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Chelmsford | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Chelmsford in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Chester | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Chester in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Coventry | A banner of the Diocese's coat of arms.[8] | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Derby | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Derby in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Durham | A banner of the Diocese's coat of arms. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Ely | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Ely in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Exeter | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Exeter in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Gibraltar in Europe | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Gibraltar in Europe in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Gloucester | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Gloucester in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Guildford | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Guildford in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Hereford | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Hereford in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Leeds | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Leeds in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Leicester | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Leicester in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Lichfield | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Lichfield in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Lincoln | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Lincoln in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of London | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of London in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Manchester | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Manchester in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Newcastle | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Newcastle in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Norwich | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Norwich in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Oxford | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Oxford in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Portsmouth | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Portsmouth in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Rochester | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Rochester in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Salisbury | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Salisbury in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Sheffield | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Sheffield in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Southwark | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Southwark in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Southwell and Nottingham | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of St Albans | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of St Albans in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Truro | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Truro in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Winchester | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Winchester in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of Worcester | Cross of St. George with the heraldic shield of the Diocese of Worcester in the canton. | |
 | Flag of theDiocese of York | A banner of the Diocese's coat of arms. |
Flags of the formerheptarchy ofAnglo-Saxon kingdoms are registered as provincial flags:
| Flag | Date | Represents | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1900s |
| The arms ascribed to theWuffingas dynasty. Three crowns on a blue shield, superimposed on aSt George's Cross, 3:5.[9] |
 | Ancient |
| Theflag of Essex is ancient in origin and features three Saxonseax (cutlasses) on a red field.[10] |
 | 1605 |
| Theflag of Kent has a red field with a white horse in the centre, 3:5.[11] |
.svg) | 13th century | TheFlag of Mercia, gold saltire on a blue field (Cross of St Alban), still flown onTamworth Castle and a lighter version inSt Albans. | |
 | Ancient | Eight alternating stripes of gold and burgundy[c] | |
 | Ancient | Kingdom of Sussex[a] | Six goldmartlets on a blue field. Officially adopted on 20 May 2011, 3:5. |
 | 1974[12] | A goldwyvern on a red field. Registered 20 May 2011. Designed in 1974 by William Crampton.[13] |
All 39 of thehistoric counties have flags registered with theFlag Institute, withLeicestershire being the last county to declare its flag, as of 16 July 2021. Some flags are traditional, meaning their designs have long been associated with the county (or in some cases, such asKent andSussex, an ancient kingdom), while other flags are based on the County Council arms or are winners of recent design competitions. The dates indicate the flag's date of first appearance, description, or in more recent examples, its registration with the Flag Institute.
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Traditional; 12 April 1951 | Flag of Bedfordshireregcoa | Traditional county flag. The red and yellow colours come from the Beauchamps family coat of arms. The vertical black stripe with three shells, or escallops, comes from the arms of theDukes of Bedford. The wavy lines represent theRiver Great Ouse. A slightly updated version was registered with the Flag Institute on 14 September 2014 after Bedfordshire County Council was disbanded and replaced by two unitary authorities. |
 | Traditional; 2 March 2017 | Flag of Berkshirereg | Traditional badge: a stag beneathHerne the Hunter's oak. |
 | Traditional; 20 May 2011 | Flag of Buckinghamshirereg | Traditional county flag. A field party per pale of black and red with a white swan. |
 | 1 February 2015 | Flag of Cambridgeshirereg | The three gold crowns represent East Anglia, with wavy light blue lines representing the river Cam in the colours ofCambridge University on a dark blue background. |
| 3 May 1938 | Flag of Cheshire | Three golden sheaves of wheat and a golden blade on a blue background. The design has been associated with theEarldom of Chester since the 12th century, and has been used in the coat of arms of Chester since at least 1560. |
 | 19th century | Flag of Cornwall | St Pirran's Cross, a white cross on a black field. |
 | 19 September 1950 | Flag of Cumberland | Design based on the arms of the former Cumberland County Council.[14] |
 | 22 September 2006 | Flag of Derbyshirereg | A green cross with a white border on a sky blue field, with a goldTudor rose in the centre, 3:5.[15] |
 | 23 July 2006 | Flag of Devon,aliasSt Petroc's Crossreg | A white cross with a black border on a green field, 3:5.[16] |
 | 16 September 2008 | Flag of Dorset – The Dorset Cross, akaSt Wite's Crossreg | A white cross with a red border on a gold field, 3:5.[17] |
 | 21 November 2013 | Flag of County Durham | A gold and blue horizontal bicolour withSt Cuthbert's Cross countercharged upon it, 3:5.[18] |
| Ancient | Flag of Essexreg | A red field with three white, gold hiltedseax (Saxon swords).[10] |
 | March 2008 | Flag of Gloucestershire – The Severn Crossreg | A mid-blue cross, outlined in cream, against an apple green background – the winning entry in a competition to commemorate the county's millennium.[19] |
 | 12 March 2019 | Flag of Hampshirereg | A gold Saxon crown above a Tudor rose over a field of red and gold representing the former Saxon kingdom ofWessex. |
 | 2 November 2019 | Flag of Herefordshirereg | On a dark red background, a white bull's head above three wavy lines, ordered white-blue-white.[20] |
.svg) | 19 November 2008 | Flag of Hertfordshireregcoa | Against eight blue and white wavy lines, representing the county's rivers, a gold shield bearing a resting deer or hart.[21] |
 | 25 June 2009 | Flag ofHuntingdonshirereg | On a green background, a gold, ribboned hunting horn – a flag displayed on the crest of the district council (and former county council) arms |
 | 1605 | Flag of Kentreg | A red field with a white horse in the centre, 3:5.[11] |
 | Modern form since 20 November 2008 | Flag of Lancashirereg | TheRed Rose of Lancashire on a yellow field (originally a white field).[22][23] |
 | 16 July 2021 | Flag of Leicestershirereg | A red and white dancetté background, taken from the arms ofSimon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester; the Cinquefoil of thede Beaumont Earls of Leicester; and the running fox from the county's crest, used on many of the county organisations' emblems.[24] |
 | 24 October 2005 | Flag of Lincolnshirereg | A red cross with yellow trimming on a blue and green field, and a yellowfleur de lys in the middle of the cross.[25] |
 | 1909 | Flag of Middlesexreg | A red field with three white, gold-hilted Saxon swords orseax under a gold Saxon crown.[26] |
 | 11 September 2014 | Flag of Norfolkreg | Ermine bend from top left to bottom right on a gold and black field.[27] |
 | 11 September 2014 | Flag of Northamptonshirereg | A gold cross with a black border on a maroon field with a rose in the centre.[28] |
 | 7th century (modern form 1951) | Flag of Northumberlandregcoa | Historical flag readopted in 1951 and used officially by the county council, and later released by the council and registered as the flag of the historic county. Eight yellow rectangles on a red field; note that the canton (top corner nearest the flagpole) should be gold.[29] |
 | 20 May 2011 | Flag of Nottinghamshirereg | Theinescutcheon represents Robin Hood. |
 | 2017 on | Flag of Oxfordshire | The arms of the pre-1974 County Council: blue with a red ox head on a double bend wavy, between a wheatsheaf and an oak.(Registered by the Flag Institute)[30] |
 | 17 November 2015 | Flag of Rutlandregcoa | A green field semée of acorns with a golden horseshoe in the centre |
 | March 2012 | Flag of Shropshirereg | The leopards' faces, fondly referred to as "loggerheads" locally, are a traditional emblem for Shropshire and have historically evolved from the loggerheads on the Shrewsbury town arms. The erminois aspect differentiates the county flag from that of its county town. |
 | 4 July 2013 | Flag of Somersetreg | A red dragon rampant on a gold field, from a longstanding local badge; the winning entry in a competition. |
 | 28 March 2016 | Flag of Staffordshirereg | A red chevron on a gold field, with a goldStafford knot, the county's longstanding symbol. All elements are taken from the de Stafford coat of arms. Designed by the Staffordshire Heritage Group and chosen by theFlag Institute over the county council's own flag after a public vote.[31] |
 | 9 October 2017 | Flag of Suffolkreg | Derived from the arms attributed toSaint Edmund the Martyr.[32] |
 | 11 September 2014 | Flag of Surreyreg | Chequey Or and azure; a traditional design derived from a personal coat of arms first recorded in the 11th century.[33] |
| 20 May 2011 | Flag of Sussexreg | Six goldmartlets on blue are the traditional emblem of Sussex.[34] This flag is for public use by the entireshire county of Sussex and its people.[35] |
 | 15 August 2016 | Flag of Warwickshirereg | The traditional bear and ragged staff badge, shown white on red; the badge is from that of theEarls of Warwick. |
 | 30 September 2011 | Flag of Westmorlandreg | A golden heraldic apple tree on white and red bars. Westmorland is now part of the ceremonial county of Cumbria. |
 | 5 June 2007 | Flag of Wiltshirereg | Alternating stripes of green and white represent the grassy downs of the county and their chalk underlay. The colours can represent hope, joy and safety (green) and peace (white). In the centre, the malegreat bustard is depicted in gold on a solid green circle to represent the open grassland. The circle is bordered in six sections alternating green and white, representing the stone circles ofStonehenge andAvebury in the county. The six portions also represent the six surrounding counties ofGloucestershire,Oxfordshire,Berkshire,Hampshire,Dorset andSomerset. |
 | 8 April 2013 | Flag of Worcestershirereg | Black pears appear in the arms of the City of Worcester, and as such have long been considered a county badge, reportedly dating back to theBattle of Agincourt. The county flag was established by a competition in 2013.[36] |
 | 1965 or earlier | Flag of Yorkshirereg | TheWhite Rose of York (the traditional county emblem) on a blue field.[37] |
Thecounties and areas for the purposes of the lieutenancies, also referred to as thelieutenancy areas of England[38] and informally known asceremonial counties,[39] are 48 areas ofEngland to whichlords-lieutenant are appointed. Legally, the areas in England, as well as in Wales and Scotland, are defined by theLieutenancies Act 1997 as "counties and areas for the purposes of the lieutenancies in Great Britain", in contrast to theareas used for local government. They are also informally known as "geographic counties",[40] to distinguish them from other types ofcounties of England.
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional; 12 April 1951 | Flag of Bedfordshireregcoa | The red and yellow colours come from the Beauchamps family coat of arms. The vertical black stripe with three shells, or escallops, comes from the arms of theDukes of Bedford. The wavy lines represent theRiver Great Ouse. A slightly updated version was registered with the Flag Institute on 14 September 2014 after Bedfordshire County Council was disbanded and replaced by two unitary authorities. |
| Traditional; 2 March 2017 | Flag of Berkshirereg | Traditional badge: a stag beneathHerne the Hunter's oak. |
 | Date registered | Flag ofBristol | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
| Traditional; 20 May 2011 | Flag of Buckinghamshirereg | A field party per pale of black and red with a white swan. |
| 1 February 2015 | Flag of Cambridgeshirereg | The three gold crowns represent East Anglia, with wavy light blue lines representing the river Cam in the colours ofCambridge University on a dark blue background. |
 | 3 May 1938 | Flag of Cheshire | Three golden sheaves of wheat and a golden blade on a blue background. The design has been associated with theEarldom of Chester since the 12th century, and has been used in the coat of arms of Chester since at least 1560. |
 | 1381 | Flag of the City of London (Ceremonial county and city flag) | A red cross on a white field, with a red sword in the canton. The City of London (excludingGreater London) is England's smallest ceremonial county and measures approximately 1 square mile (2.6 km2). The City of London is officially not part of Greater London or its 32boroughs. |
| Traditional | Flag of Cornwall – St Pirran's Cross | A white cross on a black field. |
 | 5 September 2025 | Flag ofCumbria | Gold and Green zig-zags at the bottom representing the mountainous landscape with a dark blue background and a crown representing the ancient kingdom of Rheged and thehighest peak in England. |
| 22 September 2006 | Flag of Derbyshirereg | A green cross with a white border on a sky blue field, with a goldTudor rose in the centre, 3:5.[15] |
| 23 July 2006 | Flag of Devon,aliasSt Petroc's Crossreg | A white cross with a black border on a green field, 3:5.[16] |
| 16 September 2008 | Flag of Dorset – The Dorset Cross, akaSt Wite's Crossreg | A white cross with a red border on a gold field, 3:5.[17] |
| 21 November 2013 | Flag of Durham | A gold and blue horizontal bicolour withSt Cuthbert's Cross countercharged upon it, 3:5.[18] |
 | 18 April 2013 | Flag ofEast Riding of Yorkshire (Ceremonial county) | A Yorkshire white rose, displayed in the East Riding style with one sepal at the top, set against a bi-colour of blue at the hoist, representing the sea and the historic maritime activities of the East Riding and green in the fly symbolising the locality's rich agricultural land. Additionally, the blue hoist colour signifies the East Riding's connection to the whole of Yorkshire whilst the green is placed towards the fly to represent its position in the east of the county. |
| Date registered | Flag ofEast Sussex | No registered official ceremonial county flag, although it shares ahistoric county flag with West Sussex. |
| Ancient | Flag of Essexreg | A red field with three white, gold hiltedseax (Saxon swords).[10] |
| March 2008 | Flag of Gloucestershire – The Severn Crossreg | A mid-blue cross, outlined in cream, against an apple green background – the winning entry in a competition to commemorate the county's millennium.[19] |
| Date registered | Flag of Greater London | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
 | Date registered | Flag of Greater Manchester | Unnofficial ceremonial county flag. |
| 12 March 2019 | Flag of Hampshirereg | A gold Saxon crown above a Tudor rose over a field of red and gold representing the former Saxon kingdom ofWessex. |
| 2 November 2019 | Flag of Herefordshirereg | On a dark red background, a white bull's head above three wavy lines, ordered white-blue-white.[20] |
 | 19 November 2008 | Flag of Hertfordshireregcoa | Against eight blue and white wavy lines, representing the county's rivers, a gold shield bearing a resting deer or hart.[21] |
 | January 2009 | Flag of the Isle of Wight (Ceremonial county and Island)reg | A white lozenge with an upper indent or "pile" on a light blue background, over six wavy stripes of blue and white. The Isle of Wight became administered by its own county council in 1890, but was formally part of Hampshire up until the local government reforms of 1974 when it became a full ceremonial county with its own Lord Lieutenant.[41] |
| 1605 | Flag of Kentreg | A red field with a white horse in the centre, 3:5.[11] |
| Modern form since 20 November 2008 | Flag of Lancashirereg | TheRed Rose of Lancashire on a yellow field (originally a white field).[22][23] |
| 16 July 2021 | Flag of Leicestershirereg | A red and white dancetté background, taken from the arms ofSimon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester; the Cinquefoil of thede Beaumont Earls of Leicester; and the running fox from the county's crest, used on many of the county organisations' emblems.[24] |
| 24 October 2005 | Flag of Lincolnshirereg | A red cross with yellow trimming on a blue and green field, and a yellowfleur de lys in the middle of the cross.[25] |
| Date registered | Flag ofMerseyside | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
| 11 September 2014 | Flag of Norfolkreg | Ermine bend from top left to bottom right on a gold and black field.[27] |
| Date registered | Flag ofNorth Yorkshire | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
| 11 September 2014 | Flag of Northamptonshirereg | A gold cross with a black border on a maroon field with a rose in the centre.[28] |
| 7th century (modern form 1951) | Flag of Northumberlandregcoa | Historical flag readopted in 1951 and used officially by the county council, and later released by the council and registered as the flag of the historic county. Eight yellow rectangles on a red field; note that the canton (top corner nearest the flagpole) should be gold.[29] |
| 20 May 2011 | Flag of Nottinghamshirereg | Theinescutcheon represents Robin Hood. |
| 2017 on | Flag of Oxfordshire | The arms of the pre-1974 County Council: blue with a red ox head on a double bend wavy, between a wheatsheaf and an oak.(Registered by the Flag Institute)[42] |
| 17 November 2015 | Flag of Rutlandregcoa | A green field semée of acorns with a golden horseshoe in the centre |
| March 2012 | Flag of Shropshirereg | The leopards' faces, fondly referred to as "loggerheads" locally, are a traditional emblem for Shropshire and have historically evolved from the loggerheads on the Shrewsbury town arms. The erminois aspect differentiates the county flag from that of its county town. |
| 4 July 2013 | Flag of Somersetreg | A red dragon rampant on a gold field, from a longstanding local badge; the winning entry in a competition. |
| Date registered | Flag ofSouth Yorkshire | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
| 28 March 2016 | Flag of Staffordshirereg | A red chevron on a gold field, with a goldStafford knot, the county's longstanding symbol. All elements are taken from the de Stafford coat of arms. Designed by the Staffordshire Heritage Group and chosen by theFlag Institute over the county council's own flag after a public vote.[31] |
| 9 October 2017 | Flag of Suffolkreg | Derived from the arms attributed toSaint Edmund the Martyr.[32] |
| 11 September 2014 | Flag of Surreyreg | Chequey Or and azure; a traditional design derived from a personal coat of arms first recorded in the 11th century.[33] |
| Date registered | Flag ofTyne and Wear | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
| 15 August 2016 | Flag of Warwickshirereg | The traditional bear and ragged staff badge, shown white on red; the badge is from that of theEarls of Warwick. |
| Date registered | Flag ofWest Midlands | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
| Date registered | Flag ofWest Sussex | No registered official ceremonial county flag, although it shares ahistoric county flag with East Sussex. |
| Date registered | Flag ofWest Yorkshire | No registered official ceremonial county flag. |
| 5 June 2007 | Flag of Wiltshirereg | Alternating stripes of green and white represent the grassy downs of the county and their chalk underlay. The colours can represent hope, joy and safety (green) and peace (white). In the centre, the malegreat bustard is depicted in gold on a solid green circle to represent the open grassland. The circle is bordered in six sections alternating green and white, representing the stone circles ofStonehenge andAvebury in the county. The six portions also represent the six surrounding counties ofGloucestershire,Oxfordshire,Berkshire,Hampshire,Dorset andSomerset. |
| 8 April 2013 | Flag of Worcestershirereg | Black pears appear in the arms of the City of Worcester, and as such have long been considered a county badge, reportedly dating back to theBattle of Agincourt. The county flag was established by a competition in 2013.[36] |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 14 April 2010 | Flag of theIsle of Portlandreg | The colours represent the landscape of the area: Portland stone, grass and the sea. The white tower represents the castles and the naval coronet shows the long connection with the Royal Navy.[43] |
 | 2019 | Flag of theIsle of Purbeckreg An island in name only; not geographically an island. | Symbols include a curving wave, anammonite and fish. The island's flag day is 26 November.[44] |
| January 2009 | Flag of the Isle of Wightreg | A white lozenge with an upper indent or "pile" on a light blue background, over six wavy stripes of blue and white. The Isle of Wight became administered by its own county council in 1890, but was formally part of Hampshire up until the local government reforms of 1974 when it became a full ceremonial county with its own Lord Lieutenant.[41] |
 | 1954–1969, 2010–present | Flag ofLundy | A blue flag with a white letter "L" on the hoist side.[45][46] |
Heraldic bearings are granted to individuals and corporations by theLord Lyon in Scotland or by theCollege of Arms in England,Northern Ireland andWales on behalf of the sovereign as thefount of all honours. Local authority flags come within this category when based on the arms granted to that authority, and such a flag is the authority's personal property, representing that authority rather than its area.
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | FormerBedfordshire Council banner | Red and gold quarters split horizontally by blue and white waves and vertically with a black band containing three white shells. The red and gold quarters are from the arms of the Beauchamps, the leading family in the county after the Norman Conquest. The waves signify the River Great Ouse, and the shells are from the arms of the Russell Family, commemorating their services to the state and to the county. | |
.png) | Berkshire's banner of arms | Two lions passant (referencing Berkshire's Royal and Norman connections) and a Saxon Crown (referencing Berkshire's formative Saxon history) on a white background. | |
 | Flag ofCambridgeshire Council | Local authority flag. Gold with a red bordure based on the Scottish tressure. The blue wavy pallets represent the many rivers of the county, while the straight pallets are for the drains and dykes that run through the Fenlands. | |
 | Flag of the formerCheshire Council | Local authority flag. A trio of golden wheatsheaves on blue which have been associated with the Earldom of Chester since the late 12th century. | |
 | Flag of the formerCleveland County Council | Local authority flag. | |
 | Flag ofCumbria Council | On the green border are Parnassus flowers (representing Cumberland) interspersed with white roses (Yorkshire) superimposed with red roses (Lancashire). The centre of the shield is made up of segments of blue, white, yellow and green divided by wavy vertical lines and zig-zag horizontal lines. This depicts the new County and from left to right the vertical lines of segments show: blue and white for the sea, blue and yellow (gold) for the lakes and agriculture, green and white for mountains and lakes and green and yellow (gold) for mountains and agriculture. | |
.png) | Flag ofDorset Council | Three red lions passant (referencing Dorset's Royal and Norman connections) and a fleur-de-lys on a white background. Banner of the Dorset Council Arms. | |
 | Flag of Durham County Council | Local authority flag. A yellow cross on a blue field with lions rampant in each quarter, the centre of the cross is broken with awhite rose of York (to represent the area of Yorkshire in Teesdale administered by the council) and black diamonds on each arm. Flag modified from the arms of theBishopric of Durham[47] | |
 | Flag ofEast Riding of Yorkshire Council | Local authority flag based on the coat of arms. | |
 | 1975 | Flag ofEast Sussex Council | The banner of arms was granted to East Sussex County Council by the College of Arms in 1975.[48] |
 | 1965-1986 | Former Flag ofGreater London Council | The former flag of theGreater London Council (1965-1986), a local government body which merged Middlesex with parts of Surrey, Kent, Essex and Hertfordshire to form Greater London. The GLC replaced the earlierLondon County Council (1889-1965). |
.png) | 2020 | Flag ofGreater London Authority | The corporate flag of theGreater London Authority. It is not the ceremonial county flag for Greater London, as no such current design exists. Other administrative flags were previously used officially between 1965 and 1984 by theGreater London Council and theCounty of London between 1889 and 1965. Both were based on the coats of arms of those councils.[49] |
| FormerGreater Manchester Council flag | Local authority flag. "Gules, ten Towers three two three two, all within a Bordure embattled Or". | |
 | Flag ofHampshire Council | Hampshire County Council local authority flag. This is a corporate flag, not the ceremonial countyflag of Hampshire. | |
 | Flag of Herefordshire Council | Local authority flag. The red field represents the county's red earth. Across this runs a white and blue wave for the River Wye. In chief is a gold lion from the arms of the City of Hereford, and in base is a Herefordshire Bull's head. | |
| November 2008 | Flag of Hertfordshirecoa | Against eight blue and white wavy lines, representing the county's rivers, a gold shield bearing a resting deer or hart. (Also used as a county flag.)[21] |
 | 1938 | Flag ofIsle of Wight Council | County council flag. Features a representation ofCarisbrooke Castle against a surrounding blue field and three gold anchors represent the island's status and maritime history. |
 | Flag ofLancashire County Council | A banner of the council's coat of arms. | |
 | Flag ofLeicestershire Council | The flag is divided into four quarters. The first quarter is a cinquefol, or five within a red circle, the second quarter is charged a white lion with two tails on a red ground, the third quarter shows an ermine plume on a red ground and the fourth shows a black maunch.[50] | |
 | 1 April 1974 to 31 March 1986 | FormerMerseyside Council flag | The waves represent the River Mersey; the six golden mural crowns represent the six County Boroughs—Birkenhead,Bootle,Liverpool,Southport,St Helens, andWallasey—that Merseyside was created from.. |
 | Flag ofNorfolk Council | The top part of the flag shows a lion from the Royal arms of England together with ostrich plumes and coronet referring to the Prince of Wales. This is a very special honour for the County Council, the King, in the Royal Licence, specifically instructs on the design of the arms to be granted "in commemoration of our long residence in Norfolk". This of course refers to Sandringham. The lower part of the flag comprises the arms attributed to Ralph de Gael or Guader, first Earl of Norfolk circa 1069. The ermine may well refer to Brittany as Ralph was Lord of Gael in that Duchy. | |
| 7th century (modern form 1951) | Flag ofNorthumberland | Historical flag readopted in 1951 and used officially by the county council, and later released by the council and registered as the flag of the historic county. Eight yellow rectangles on a red field, note that the canton (top corner nearest the flagpole) should be gold.[29] |
 | Flag ofNottinghamshire Council | Local authority flag. The wave is for River Trent and the oak tree for Sherwood Forest. | |
| Flag of Rutland Council | Local authority flag. A green background strewn with golden acorns, surrounding a central golden horseshoe. | |
 | Flag of Somerset Council | Local authority flag. A red dragon on a yellow field, bearing a blue mace – a banner of the county arms.[51] | |
 | FormerSouth Yorkshire Council | Flag based on the council's arms. | |
 | Flag ofStaffordshire Council | Local authority flag. All the devices on the flag come from arms of various Earls of Stafford. The red chevron on gold was the arms of the de Staffords. It is charged with the family's famous Stafford knot badge. The lion represents the authority of the council. | |
 | Flag of Suffolk Council | Local authority flag. Coat of arms of Suffolk on a gold background. The main charge in the arms is the sun rising over the sea. Suffolk is the most easterly county in England and thus the first to see the sun rise. The open crowns and crossed arrows refer to Bury St Edmunds and have been widely used in the arms of Suffolk towns and districts. | |
 | Flag ofSurrey Council | Local authority flag. Divided into halves, blue and black, with two gold keys representing theChertsey Abbey, awoolpack on blue and a sprig ofoak on black. (a banner of the modern coat of arms ofSurrey County Council). | |
 | FormerWest Midlands Council flag | Local authority flag. The flag has two dancetty barrulets interlaced to form a W and M representing the initials of "West Midlands". | |
 | 1889-1974 | FormerWest Sussex Council flag | Blue and gold flag with six golden martlets. Old 1889-1974 West Sussex County Council flag.[48] |
.png) | 2008–Present | West Sussex Council flag | A blue banner with 7 light blue wavy lines with the crowned coat of arms in the centre in white.[48] |
 | Flag ofWiltshire Council | A banner of the council's coat of arms. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg) | 1829 | Flag of the Greater LondonMetropolitan Police | The Badge of the Metropolitan Police on a blue background, with white squares at the edge |
| This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "List of English flags" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
This is a list of officially recognised flags for various cities in England. Where listed as 'official', they have been registered by the Flag Institute charity or another official source. This list may be incomplete, please add official flags with sources showing the official flag design.
| Flag | Date | Use | Ceremonial County | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Official community design[52] | 2015 | Flag of Birmingham (City and Metropolitan borough) | West Midlands | Golden vertical zig-zag offset to hoist dividing blue and red, with a bulls head in the centre. Updated in 2015 from the 1977 banner of arms. |
 | Official design | 2018[53] | Flag ofCoventry (City and metropolitan borough). | West Midlands | Silhouette of Lady Godiva on a white field with two stripes in the traditional shade of Coventry Blue. Updated in 2018 from the 1345 arms flag depicting an Elephant.[54] |
 | 1615 (Arms) | Flag ofDurham (City and civil parish) | County Durham | A red cross outlined in white on a black field.[citation needed] | |
 | 1620 (Arms) | Flag of Plymouth (City and unitary authority)[citation needed] | Devon | Arms of Plymouth City Council set on a red field. | |
 | 1194, 1622, 1686 (Arms) | Flag (orBanner of arms) ofPortsmouth (City and unitary authority) | Hampshire | A crescent of gold on a shade of azure, with a blazing star of eight points. Portsmouth's original 1194 arms are based on those used byKing Richard I andWilliam de Longchamp, who granted Portsmouth its town charter in 1194. Portsmouth's arms predate theCollege of Arms, but were confirmed byHeraldic visitations in 1622 (byJohn Philipot) and in 1686 (byHenry St George, the younger).[55] The Portsmouth arms are officially owned byPortsmouth City Council.[55] | |
 | 2012[56] | Flag ofPreston (City and non-metropolitan district) | Lancashire | A Paschal Lamb couchant Argent supporting a Cross-Staff Or taken from the coat of arms of c.1613[57] on a white cross, enlaid with a blue cross, on a blue field. | |
 | Recognised design | 2017[58] | Flag ofSouthampton (City and unitary authority) | Hampshire | An anchor and Tudor Rose on a red and white field. Updated in 2017 from the arms flag of 1575.[59] |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 2014 | Flag ofAppleby-in-Westmorlandreg (Town and civil parish, Cumbria) | A gold apple tree on a blue field. |
 | 2020 | Flag ofBexhill-on-Seareg (Town and civil parish, East Sussex) | A red saltire on a counter-changed field of green and white. |
 | 2017 | Flag ofBloxwichreg (Town and civil parish, West Midlands) | A counter-changed black and green cross on a white field with a rampant black lion in the canton and a green tree in the hoist. |
 | 2009 | Flag ofCalnereg (Town and civil parish, Wiltshire) | |
 | 2016 | Flag ofCaterhamreg (Town, Surrey) | |
 | 2016 | Flag ofHeathfieldreg (Town, East Sussex) | A flag divided from top-left to bottom-right by a white line, with a white cuckoo on black in the hoist, and a white tower (defaced with a green key) on green in the fly. |
 | 2011 | Flag ofKingswinfordreg (Town, West Midlands) | |
 | 2013 | Flag ofNewburyreg (Town, Berkshire) | |
 | 2009 | Flag ofNewton Abbot (Town and civil parish, Devon) | A stylised image ofSt Leonard's Tower in the centre of a modifiedflag of Devon. The green represents the moors, the black the granite and the white the clay of the surrounding area. The cross is also used to represent a major crossroads in the town which converged on the clock tower. The arms of the cross represent the routes toExeter andLondon,Bovey Tracey and themoors,Totnes andPlymouth, andTorquay andBrixham.[60][61] |
 | 2012 | Flag ofPenrithreg (Town and civil parish, Cumbria) | A red saltire on white with blue knot/flowers in each quarter. |
 | 2008 | Flag ofPetersfieldreg (Town and civil parish, Hampshire) | |
 | 2020 | Flag ofPoolereg (Town, Dorset) | |
 | 2012 | Flag ofSt Annes-on-the-Seareg (Town, Lancashire) | |
 | 2017 | Flag ofThame (Town and civil parish, Oxfordshire) | The flag results from a competition held in the town. It incorporates Thame Town Council’s colours with part of the town’s emblem on the left hand side, and three waves – which signify the countryside, the Phoenix Trail and the River Thame – on the right hand side.[62] |
 | 2019 | Flag ofWadhurstreg (Town and civil parish, East Sussex) | A golden-orange "W" shape on a green field, with three white six-pointed estoiles between the arms of the "W". |
 | 2014 | Flag ofWillenhallreg (Town and civil parish, West Midlands) |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 2016 | Flag ofCromfordreg (Village and civil parish, Derbyshire) | |
 | 2014 | Flag ofEvenleyreg (Village and civil parish, Northamptonshire) | |
 | 2012 | Flag ofFlorereg (Village and civil parish, Northamptonshire) | |
 | 2016 | Flag ofFour Elmsreg (Village, Kent) | |
 | 2014 | Flag ofHampton Poylereg (Village, Oxfordshire) | |
 | 2014 | Flag ofHorningseareg (Village, Cambridgeshire) | |
 | 2019 | Flag ofMardenreg (Village and civil parish, Herefordshire) | |
 | 2014 | Flag ofNentheadreg (Village, Cumbria) | |
 | 2014 | Flag ofPewseyreg (Village and civil parish, Wiltshire) | |
 | 2013 | Flag ofStainingreg (Village and civil parish, Lancashire) | |
 | 2013 | Flag ofWingreg (Village and civil parish, Buckinghamshire) | |
 | 2015 | Flag ofWreayreg (Village, Cumbria) | |
 | 2009 | Flag ofWroxtonreg (Village and civil parish, Oxfordshire) |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Flag of theUniversity of Bristol | ||
 | Flag of theUniversity of Cambridge[63] | ||
 | Flag of theUniversity of East Anglia | ||
 | Flag of theUniversity of Hull | The Cross of Saint George defaced in the centre with the university's coat of arms. | |
 | Flag of theUniversity of London | ||
 | Flag of theUniversity of Oxford | An open book with the inscriptionDominus Illuminatio Mea (Latin for "The Lord is my light"), surrounded by three golden crowns (two above and one below) on a blue field. | |
 | Flag of theUniversity of Roehampton[64] | ||
 | Flag of theUniversity of Warwick |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1998 | Flag of theCampaign for an English Parliament | |
 | 1984 | Flag ofEnglish Heritage |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1042–1066 | Royal Banner of KingEdward the Confessor | A golden cross with fleur-de-lis ends over a blue field, surrounded by five golden martlets. This former Royal Banner was used bySt Edward the Confessor, one of the lastAnglo-SaxonEnglish kings. |
 | 1066 | Banner of KingHarold II | The reconstruction of the "Fighting Man Banner" mentioned byWilliam of Poitiers. Was the military standard or personal banner ofHarold Godwinson who led the Anglo-Saxon army in theBattle of Hastings (1066) against theNorman invaders. |
| 1198–1340 | Royal Banner ofKing Richard I | Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langued Azure,[65][66] meaning three goldlions with blue tongues and claws, walking and facing the observer, arranged in a column on a red background. It forms the first and fourth quarters of theRoyal Standard of the United Kingdom. |
.svg) | 1340–1395 1399–1406 | Royal Banner ofKing Edward III | TheCoat of Arms of England quartered with the Royal Standard of France, thefleurs-de-lis representing Edward III'sclaim to the French throne. |
.svg) | 1395–1399 | Royal Banner ofKing Richard II | The Coat of Arms of England impaled with attributed arms of King Edward The Confessor (symbolising mystical union). |
.svg) | 1406–1422 1461–1470 1471–1554 1558–1603 | Royal Banner ofKing Henry IV | The French quartering has been altered to three fleurs-de-lis. |
.svg) | 1422–1461 1470–1471 | Royal Banner ofKing Henry VI | The Coat of Arms of France impaled with the Coat of Arms of England, symbolising thedual monarchy of England and France. |
.svg) | 1554–1558 | Royal Banner ofQueen Mary I andKing Philip | The Coat of Arms of Habsburg Spain impaled with the Coat of Arms of England. |
.svg) | 1603–1689, 1702–1707 | Royal Standard of theHouse of Stuart, used first byJames VI and I | A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of James I, first and fourth quarters representing England and the English claim to the French throne, second quarter representingScotland, third quarter representingIreland. This was the last royal banner of the Kingdom of England. |
.svg) | 1689–1694 | Royal Standard ofKing William III and II andQueen Mary II | A banner of the joint Royal Coat of Arms of William III and Mary II, consisting of the Coat of Arms of England defaced with an inescutcheon for theHouse of Nassau (representing William) and impaled with another undefaced version of the same Coat of Arms (representing Mary). |
.svg) | 1694–1702 | Royal Standard of King William III and II | A banner of the Royal Coat of Arms of William III, first and fourth quarters representing England and the English claim to the French throne, second quarter representing Scotland, third quarter representing Ireland, with an inescutcheon for the House of Nassau. |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Anglo-Saxon era | Reputedly to symbolise Anglo-Saxon England[67] | InHistoria Brittonum, two dragons appear. The red dragon symbolised the Welsh while a white dragon symbolised the Anglo-Saxons. Adragon (known later in heraldry as awyvern) also later appears twice in the death scene ofKing Harold II on theBayeux Tapestry depicting theBattle of Hastings in 1066.[67] The ModernWhite Dragon Flag of England is based on a legend in Geoffrey of Monmouth's "History of the Kings of Britain".[68][69] |
 | 1620–1707 | English Red Ensign | Ensign of the red squadron with the Flag of England in the canton |
 | 1620–1702 | English White Ensign | Ensign of the white squadron with the Flag of England in the canton |
 | 1702–1707 | English White Ensign | Ensign of the white squadron with the Flag of England in the canton with large cross of St George placed upon a white background |
 | 1620–1707 | English Blue Ensign | Ensign of the blue squadron with the Flag of England in the canton |
.svg) | 1606–1801 | First Union Jack/Flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain | The first Union Flag (also known as the King's Colours) with theCross of St George placed upon theFlag of Scotland |
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
.svg) | pre–2008 | Unofficial flag of Lancashire | The Red Rose of Lancashire on a white field. It was denied registration by the Flag Institute, due to being almost identical to the already registered flag of the town ofMontrose, Angus. |
The College is also the authority for matters relating to the flying of flags, and holds the only official registers of flags for the UK and much of the Commonwealth.
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