Saint Piran's Flag
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Image:Flag of Cornwall.svg Saint Piran's Flag is regarded as the national flag of Cornwall and an emblem of the Cornish people. 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 white tin in the black coals and ashes during his supposed discovery of tin.
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Origins
The earliest written evidence of this flag was recorded by Davies Gilbert in his 1838 work: 'The Parochial History of Cornwall', Vol III, p. 332.
He gives reference to "a white cross on a black ground [that] was formerly the banner of St. Perran and the Standard of Cornwall"
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 this famous Cornish inventor and engineer Richard Trevithick.
The window depicts St Michael at the top and nine Cornish saints, Piran, Petroc, Pinnock, Germanus, Julian, Cyriacus, Constantin, 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. [1].
The flag is, perhaps not coincidentally, similar to the Flag of Saint David, from the fellow Celtic nation of Wales.
Clues to its origin
Saint Piran's flag is similar to the Breton flag. This flag was used by the Breton Army in the Middle Ages. The cultural links between Brittany and Cornwall are well recorded. The flags are the exact reverse of each other.
Breton Family Arms
It should be noted that 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), in is described as "sable a cross patée argent".
- Geoffroy le Borgne of Brittany is described as "sable a cross argent" [2]
- 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. [3]
- Arnèke Family Coat of Arms. [4]
- Rouvroy de Saint-Simon, described: De sable à la croix d'argent chargée de 5 coquilles. [5]
Use
The Saint Piran's Flag is more commonly flown in Cornwall than the Union Jack. However for many it is a symbol of pride in Cornish distinctiveness rather than a political call for independence. The flag is also often seen on car stickers with the word 'Kernow' (Cornish for Cornwall.)
Companies such as Ginsters pasties use a similar emblem on packaging and advertising.
See also
- Constitutional status of Cornwall
- The Flag of the Duchy of Brittany
- Cornish Assembly
- List of topics related to Cornwall
External link
- Flags of the World - Speculations of the origins of this flag.eo:Flago de Sankta Piran