Cornwall

	Flag of Cornwall
Adopted	1830s (?)
Designed by	(unknown)
Proportions	2:3 (?)

The flag of Cornwall is a black background with a white cross.

Symbolism[]

The flag represents St. Piran, the patron saint of Cornwall, and also a 6th century abbot. Saint Piran is supposed to have adopted these two colours from seeing the molten tin spilling out of the black ore in his fire. This occurred during his supposed discovery of tin in the sixth century thus becoming the patron saint of tin miners.^[3]

Usage[]

Cornwall's flag is now more commonly seen flying from flag poles across Cornwall than the Union Flag or the Cross of St George, yet only a generation ago many saw it as a nationalist symbol for Mebyon Kernow. However for many today it is a symbol of pride in Cornish distinctiveness rather than a political call for independence.

It is regularly seen around Cornwall on car stickers with the word 'Kernow' (Cornish for Cornwall), and is used around the world as a symbol of the Cornish diaspora or overseas Cornish associations. In Cornwall it is used on a variety of Cornish merchandising products and is seen on the design of the Cornish All Blacks rugby shirt as well as Cornish Pirates rugby logo.

Origins[]

The flag of Cornwall is very similar to the old flag of Brittany, although the colours are the other way round. The flag is also very similar to the flag of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, which is a gold cross on black background. The celtic movement, and the connections between Cornwall, Brittany, and Wales are well documented. These parts of Europe were the last haunts of the old Celts, the ones who escaped the Romans, and both the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings.