Last modified: 2020-09-12 by rob raeside
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![[Cumberland flag]](../images/g/gb-e!cbr.gif)
image located by Jason Saber, 3 August 2012
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See also:The flag derives from the arms of the former Cumberland County Council. The design represents some of the county's natural features; at the top are the white Parnassus flowers which grow on the marshy uplands, the green upper field, while at the base the wavy blue and white stripes symbolise the county's rivers, lakes and seaboard. The illustration is by Philip Tibbetts. (source)
Jason Saber, 3 August 2012
A letter from the Historic Counties Trust requesting the registration of this design as the county flag of Cumberland has been sent to the Flag Institute. The request has been made on the basis of a sizable number of expressions of support from local organisations. (source). We therefore anticipate the imminent registration of the attached design as the flag of the county of Cumberland next week.
Jason Saber, 8 December 2012
I have heard today that Cumberland flag has been accepted into the registry.
Jason Saber, 13 December 2012
The Cumberland Flag was officially registered on December 13th 2012, becoming the 26th British county flag. The design is a re-working of the banner of arms of the former Cumberland County Council, granted in 1950. The pattern symbolises the coastline and famous lakes with the blue and white wavy lines, whilst the green upper half with Grass-of-Parnassus flowers recalls the marshy up-lands and fertile plains of the county. (source)
The design is a re-working of the banner of Arms of the former Cumberland County Council. Granted in 1950 the arms symbolise the coast line, mountains, fells and famous lakes with the blue and white wavy lines, whilst the green upper half with Grass-of-Parnassus flowers recalls the marshy up-lands and fertile plains of the county. The Grass-of-Parnassus flowers have been re-drawn to be both obviously recognisable and stylistically appropriate, rather than the generic looking flowers from the grant of arms.
This was done by vexillographer Philip Tibbetts of Penrith, who used an image of a real Cumbric flower to achieve a realisation that is both obviously a Grass-of-Parnassus and as iconic as the heraldic rose. The colours of the final design were chosen to be the best matches in acceptable flag colours to the former council arms. An additional benefit of this is that the green matches that found in the Welsh flag, thus providing an extra element of symbolism as the name Cumberland derives from Cymru-land, or "land of the Welsh".
The flag was registered with the support of a number of regional bodies, including: Bridekirk Parish Council, Cockermouth and District Civic Trust, Cumberland Agricultural Society, Cumberland Football Association, Cumberland Geological Society, Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian Society, Cumbria County History Trust, Federation of Cumbrian Amenity Societies, Holme Low Parish Council, Lakeland Dialect Society, Muncaster Parish Council, Penrith Civic Society, Workington and District Civic Trust and the Workington Twinning Association.
![[Cumbria proposal]](../images/g/gb-e-cumb-coa.gif)
image from Pete Loeser, 9 September 2020
The arms represent the natural features of the county, the flowers referring to the grass of Parnassus which grows on the marshy uplands, while the base of the shield stands for the rivers, lakes, and seaboard. The pick and crook allude to the local activities of mining and sheep-rearing. The curlew is a bird common in the uplands of the County, and the mural crown is commonly found in the arms of municipal authorities. The bull of the ancient Cumberland family of Dacre is an historic emblem associated particularly with the old Border warfare, and the roebuck is traditional to the County. The supporters are shown standing on a masoned base representing Hadrian's Wall. The motto "PERFERO" means "I carry through." (English County Flags)
Ian MacDonald, 14 July 2010