^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Tenterden, Kent (England)

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 October 2019

Flag description
Coat of Arms

Flag Description

It is a light blue trapezium flag with the coat of arms at its bottom.
Source:
I spotted this flag on 12 September 2019 in front of the local town hall.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 October 2019

Coat of Arms

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 October 2019

Shield Gules in base waves of the sea proper, thereon a ship of three masts Or ,the sail on the foremast furled, the mainsail per pale Gules and Azure, thereon three demi lions passant guardant Or, conjoined to as many hulks of ships Argent, the mizzen charged with the arms Argent, on a bend Sable between four lions' heads erased Gules three 6-point stars Or.
Meaning:
The arms on the mainsail are those of the Cinque Ports, but with the ships' hulls coloured silver. Tenterden had been a member of the Port of Rye. A ship bearing these arms on its sail and a banner of St George at the stem stands on the 15th-century seal of Tenterden. On the reverse of the same seal, beneath a figure of St Mildred, the patron saint of the town, is a shield bearing the arms on the mizzen. These are the arms of the Pillesden or Pitlesden family, one of whom was the first Bailiff of Tenterden. The arms are now used by the town council.
Source:
https://heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Tenterden
The arms were officially described during the Heraldic Visitations of 1574, maintained by Robert Cooke (ca. 1535 – 1592 or 1593), Clarenceux King of Arms, who is the senior of the two provincial Kings of Arms. The colours were described in 1619. Heraldic Visitations were tours of inspection undertaken by Kings of Arms.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 October 2019