Hampshire

The Hampshire Flag is a community flag proclaiming the unique identity of this historic English county.

The flag displays a bi-colour of yellow and red with a rose and crown, colours and symbols associated with the county for centuries.

It is a modified form of the banner of arms granted to Hampshire County Council in 1992, using variants to replace the Royal Crown and Tudor Rose, so as to differentiate the community flag from the civic banner, and to avoid royal and national symbols.

The Royal Crown thus becomes a Saxon Crown, evoking the early importance of Hampshire in English history. Winchester was the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, from which England arose. (Suggestion made by Jason Saber.)

Many types of rose have symbolised Hampshire over the centuries. The HCC banner of arms uses a red rose, while Hampshire County Cricket Club uses a white rose. Here a rose with three tiers of petals – red, white, red – reflects this variety. This rose is unique in vexillology and cannot be mistaken for those used on other county flags. (Suggestion made by Philip Tibbetts, Communities Vexillologist, from a drawing by Brady Ells.)

A number of local organisations, including Hampshire Hockey Association and the Lymington & District Historical Society, proposed the registration of this flag. Although using traditional elements, it is not a traditional flag as its origins lie in a 1992 design. However, the flag received the support of the county’s administrative and ceremonial leaders to ensure registration.

The following community in Hampshire has registered a flag:

Petersfield Town Flag

Why not create or adopt a flag that celebrates your local identity?

Find free design advice and information here.

For further help and advice, please contact the Communities Vexillologist, .

And if you want to buy this flag, please contact a Flag Institute Registered British Flagmaker or Trade Member.