Saint Piran's Flag is the flag of Cornwall. It was first described as the Standard of Cornwall in 1838.[1] It has since been used by Cornish people as a symbol of identity.[2]
The banner of Saint Piran is a vertical white cross on a black background. Saint Piran is supposed to have adopted these two colours from seeing the molten tin spilling out of the black ore in his fire. This occurred during his supposed discovery of tin in the 6th century, thus becoming the patron saint of tin miners.
Contents |
Origins
There are claims that the design dates from prior to 1188 when the flag was used in the Crusades,[3] and an article in Encyclopædia Britannica tells that the flag was carried by the Cornish contingent at the Battle of Agincourt (1415).[4] However, the reference given by Encyclopædia Britannica seems to have been confused with one that comes from a 1590 poem entitled "Poly-Olbion" by Michael Drayton. It states that the banner carried by the Cornish men at Agincourt depicted two Cornish Wrestlers in a hitch.[5]
The earliest written evidence of this flag was recorded by Davies Gilbert in his 1838 work: 'The Parochial History of Cornwall', where he gives reference to..
"a white cross on a black ground [that] was 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"[1][2]
The fact that Gilbert identifies it as being 'formerly' a Standard of Cornwall implies that it was used before 1838.[1] However, Gilbert did not leave a record of his background research, and referred only to his "recollection".[2]
One of the oldest depictions of the flag can be seen in a stained glass window at Westminster Abbey. It was unveiled in 1888 in memory of the famous Cornish inventor and engineer Richard Trevithick. The window depicts St Michael at the top and nine Cornish saints, Piran, Petroc, Pinnock,[1] Germanus, Julian, Cyriacus, Constantine, Nonna and Geraint in tiers below. The head of St Piran appears to be a portrait of Trevithick himself and the figure carries the banner of Cornwall.[6]
Clues to its origin
 The Standard of the Army of the Breton Duchy. |
 The Welsh Flag of Saint David |
 The Flag of England or St George's Cross |
Saint Piran's flag has similarities to the old Breton flag, the Flag of Saint David, and the Flag of Saint George. The cultural links between Brittany, Wales and Cornwall are well recorded. Saint Piran's Flag is the negative image of the old Breton Flag, a black cross on a white field. The Flag of Saint David shares a black background with Saint Piran's Flag, but is surmounted by a gold, rather than a white, cross.
It has also been suggested that it may have been based on the arms of the Earl of Cornwall, or the later Duchy of Cornwall; based on the arms of other Cornish families; or be linked with the black and white livery of the Knights of St John.[2]
The flag is commonly understood to represent the white tin metal against the black tin ore; symbolically, however, the flag is said to represent the light of truth shining through the blackness/darkness of evil.[citation needed] Another theory of the black and white colours is that the white cross represents the igneous/metamorphic rocks of colour such as granite and schists mainly found in the southwest of Cornwall, while the black background represents the weathered Devonian slate and Carboniferous sandstone, both of which are mainly black-greyish in appearance, of the northern part of Cornwall.[citation needed]
French Family Arms
 |
 |
 |
Several French families had coats of arms that bear a striking resemblance to the St Piran's flag:
- Saint Peran or Saint Pezran (= Piran) of Brittany (from Glomel, in Cornouaille), is described as "sable a cross patée argent".
- Rossillon de Gex, Coat of Arms described: De sable à la croix d'argent.
- Brunet, de la Besse, Coat of Arms described: D'azur, à la croix d'argent.[8]
- Arnèke Family Coat of Arms.[9]
- Rouvroy de Saint-Simon of Picardy, described: De sable à la croix d'argent chargée de cinq coquilles.[10]
Usage
 |
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2009) |
The flag is now widely displayed on cars and from buildings including those of Cornwall County Council.[11] It is flown at most Cornish gatherings such as the Gorseth Kernow, St Piran's Day (5 March), Camborne's Trevithick Day (April), Padstow's 'Obby 'Oss festival (May), Helston's Flora Day (May), and at Cornish rugby matches. It is regularly seen around Cornwall on car stickers with the word 'Kernow' (Cornish for Cornwall), and is used around the world as a symbol of the Cornish diaspora or overseas Cornish associations. It has been adapted for use in the logos of a number of organisations, such as the Cornwall district of the Methodist Church, is used by a variety of Cornish businesses such as Ginsters, and is seen on the design of the Cornish All Blacks rugby shirt as well as Cornish Pirates rugby logo.[11]
Gallery
 Cornish Pirates RFC logo |
 Ginsters Bakery Ltd |
See also
- List of Cornish flags
- The Flag of the Duchy of Brittany
- List of topics related to Cornwall
- St Piran's Day
External links
- Flags of the World - Speculations of the origins of this flag.
- The Flag Institute
References
- ^ a b c 'The Parochial History of Cornwall', by Davies Gilbert. (1838) Vol III, p. 332
- ^ a b c d Phil Rendle, Cornwall - The Mysteries of St Piran, The Flag Institute
- ^ Celtic League flags
- ^ Cornish flag
- ^ Poly-Olbion by Michael Drayton
- ^ Westminster Abbey
- ^ http://www.briantimms.com/vermandois/bretons.htm
- ^ visu_armes_p
- ^ La page du généalogiste fou ... L'héraldique
- ^ rouvroy
- ^ a b How far has the “Cornish Revival” affected modern Cornwall?
- ^ Flags of the World
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
