Saint Piran's Flag

thumb|right|Souvenir flags outside a café

thumb|right|Saint Piran's Day celebrations in [[Penzance]]

thumb|right|Flying the flag in [[Portloe]]

Saint Piran's Flag () is the flag of Cornwall. The earliest known description of the flag, referred to as the Standard of Cornwall, was written in 1838. It is used by Cornish people as a symbol of their identity.

The flag is attributed to Saint Piran, a 5th-century Cornish abbot. But the white cross and black background design is also the coat of arms of the Saint-Perran (or Saint-Pezran) family from Cornouaille in Brittany, recorded from the 15th century.

Origins

The earliest known evidence of this flag was recorded by Davies Gilbert in his 1838 work: The Parochial History of Cornwall, in which he gives reference to

<blockquote>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 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.

Clues to its origin

Saint Piran's Flag has similarities to the old Breton flag and the flag of Saint David. 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.

The Standard of the Army of the Breton Duchy ()|thumb

The Welsh [[flag of Saint David|thumb]]

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.

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Several other French and Breton families also 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 à croix patée d'argent.
Geoffroy le Borgne of Brittany is described as .
Rossillon de Gex, coat of arms described: .
Brunet, de la Besse, coat of arms described: .
Arnèke Family coat of arms.
Rouvroy de Saint-Simon of Picardy, described: .

Myths about the origins

There are a very large number of modern legends about the origins of the flag.

An article in the old Encyclopaedia Britannica on "Cornish Wrestling" stated that the flag was carried by the Cornish contingent at the Battle of Agincourt (1415). However, the reference given by the Encyclopaedia 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.

Usage

The flag is often displayed on bumper stickers, and flying from buildings, including those of Cornwall Council. It is flown at most Cornish gatherings, such as the Gorsedh 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 (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 shirts as well as the Cornish Pirates rugby logo.

The flags of Smith Island, Maryland and Tangier, Virginia incorporate St. Piran's cross in the upper-left canton in recognition of the early settlers who came to the islands from Cornwall and Devon.

The flag can be seen in Doc Martin, which is set in the fictional Cornwall fishing village of Portwenn and filmed in the real-life one of Port Isaac.

Gallery

File:Flag of the Duke of Cornwall.svg|The flag of the Duke of Cornwall

File:Cornish Ensign.svg|Cornish Ensign

File:Flag of Malpas, Cornwall.svg|Flag of Malpas

File:Burgee of Penzance Sailing Club.svg|Burgee of Penzance Sailing Club

File:Burgee of Port Navas Yacht Club.svg|Burgee of Port Navas Yacht Club

File:Australian Cornish-heritage flag.svg|Cornish Australian heritage flag

File:Flag of Smith Island, Maryland.svg|Flag of Smith Island, Maryland

File:Flag of Tangier, Virginia.svg|Flag of Tangier, Virginia