Nottinghamshire (England)

Traditional English County

Last modified: 2020-12-26 by rob raeside
Keywords: nottinghamshire | england |
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image located by Jason Saber, 19 May 2011

On this page:

• Introduction: Nottinghamshire
• About the Nottinghamshire Flag
• Nottinghamshire County Council - Banner of Arms
• Nottinghamshire Coat of Arms
• Nottinghamshire County Council - Logos
• Nottinghamshire - Commercial Flags
• Nottinghamshire County Council - Commercial Flag
• Proposed Flags for Nottinghamshire - Design Contest held in 2011
• Nottinghamshire Police Flags
• Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service - Flags and Logos
• Southwell and Nottingham Diocese - Church of England

• Nottingham
• Newark & Sherwood District Council
• English County, Regional and Municipal Flags
• England
• United Kingdom

Introduction: Nottinghamshire

The traditional Nottinghamshire, called "Notts" by its residents, is located in the East Midlands region of England. It is bordered by South Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and Derbyshire. The traditional county town is Nottingham, but today the county council actual meets in West Bridgford which is across the Trent River from Nottingham. There are eight districts in Nottinghamshire. They are Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Broxtowe, Gedling, Mansfield, Newark, Sherwood, and Rushcliffe. The City of Nottingham was administratively part of Nottinghamshire between 1974-1998, but is now considered a separate unitary authority although remaining part of Nottinghamshire for ceremonial purposes.
There were several Roman settlements in Nottinghamshire, notably at Mansfield and in Bilborough, but the region's real development began in the 5th Century when it was settled by Angles and became part of the Kingdom of Mercia (later the Earldom of Mercia). At that time there was a vast forest, later called Sherwood Forest, that covered much of the area. The first actual mention of the shire of Nottingham occurs in 1016, when it was attacked by Canute, and its boundaries have remained almost unaltered since the time of the Domesday Survey of 1086. During Norman times malting and the woollen industries developed in the area of the county.
Until 1610, Nottinghamshire was divided into eight Wapentakes (A historical subdivision corresponding roughly to the hundred in other shires), but in 1719, they were reduced to six - Newark, Bassetlaw, Thurgarton, Rushcliffe, Broxtowe, and Bingham. Some of these names still being used for the modern districts.
The political history of Nottinghamshire centres round the town and castle of Nottingham. They changed hands many times from the 10th Century on. They were seized by Robert of Gloucester in 1140; captured by King John in 1191; surrendered to King Henry III by rebellious barons in 1264. King Edward III used the castle during in the Scottish wars. In the Wars of the Roses the county mostly supported the Yorkist cause, Nottingham being one of the most faithful strongholds of Edward IV. In the Civil War of the 17th Century most of Nottinghamshire's nobility favored the Royalist cause, but Nottingham Castle itself had been garrisoned by troops supporting the parliament. Thus in 1651 the castle was ordered demolished and another potential tourist destination was gone.
During the Industrial Revolution, the county held much needed minerals such as coal and iron ore, and "wagonways" were constructed to transport minerals from pit mining areas such as Strelley and Bilborough to where they were needed. This led to canals and railways being constructed in the county. During these years the long establish woollen industries in the county branched off into lace and cotton and grew in importance. In the 18th and 19th centuries, mechanized collieries opened, and mining became an important resource for the economy although these declined after 1984-85 and the violent miners' strikes of those years.
Of course, I must mention that Nottinghamshire is home for the legendary exploits of the mythical Robin Hood and his "Merry Men" of Sherwood Forest. This has encouraged a healthy tourist industry. Places like Sherwood Forest, the City of Nottingham, and the villages surrounding Sherwood Forest continue to attract large numbers of tourists. In 2010, the University of Nottingham began the "Nottingham Caves Survey" which reinforced the Robin Hood connection and increased the tourist interest in the area. They discovered there are more than 450 sandstone caves around Nottingham, a great place to hide that merry band.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

About the Nottinghamshire Flag

The flag of Nottinghamshire was unveiled at the Flag Institute's Spring meeting on Saturday (14th May 2011).
Jason Saber, 19 May 2011

Presumably the figure in the centre is meant to represent the folk hero, Robin Hood, who has long been associated with Nottingham.
James Dignan, 20 May 2011

Andy Whittaker, of BBC Nottingham, organized the vote following a suggestion by two of his listeners, Jane Bealby and Mike Gaunt. The final design was made up of elements from the designs submitted by a number of people to the radio station for consideration as the new county flag.

• Flag Type: County Flag
• Flag Date: 20th May 2011
• Flag Designer: Unknown
• Adoption Route: Popular Vote
• UK Design Code: UNKG7422
• Aspect Ratio: 3:5
• Pantone® Colours: Green 364, White, Red 186

See Proposed Flags for Nottinghamshire 2011 below for more on the BBC sponsored contest.

Nottinghamshire County Council
Banner of Arms

image by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020
Image based on this photo.

The Banner of Arms of the Nottinghamshire County Council has a large stylized gold oak tree representing Sherwood Forest defacing a wavy blue and white horizontal wave pattern representing the Trent River that runs across its green field.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Nottinghamshire Coat of Arms

image located by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

"The Nottinghamshire Coat of arms were officially granted in 1937. The wave is for River Trent and the oak tree for Sherwood Forest. The crest has a golden mural crown, symbolising local government. A garb rises from the crown, which is itself charged with a black shovel blade. These two charges represent agriculture and coal mining, the two traditional sources of employment in the county. The dexter supporter is a black lion queue-fourcheé from the arms of the Dukes of Portland. The sinister supporter is a silver greyhound from the Duke of Northumberland's arms. Members of these two families have provided Lords Lieutenant of the county. Both supporters are gorged with Saxon crowns, recalling the Saxon creation of Nottinghamshire in AD 918."

Official Blazon:

• Arms: Vert a Fesse wavy per fesse wavy Argent and Azure over all an Oak Tree fructed Or.
• Crest Issuant from a Mural Crown a Garb Or charged with the Blade of a Miner's Shovel Sable.
• Supporters: On the dexter side a Lion rampant queue fourchee Sable gorged with a Saxon Crown Or and on the sinister side a Greyhound Argent gorged with a like Crown with line reflexed over the back Azure.
• Motto: sapienter proficiens - means "Progress with wisdom"

Nottinghamshire County Council Logos

   
images by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

These Nottinghamshire County Council logos are used on the county council website and on publications and letterheads of the council. The have not yet been used on any flags.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Commercial Flags for Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire Variant #1

image by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020
Image based on this photo located by Ian MacDonald, 14 July 2010

This flag is being marketed for Nottinghamshire. The flag is based loosely on the County coat of arms, it features a tree representing Sherwood Forest, the wave is the river Trent.
Source: English County Flags: Nottinghamshire
Ian MacDonald, 14 July 2010

Although never official, this flag is now being referred to as the "Old" flag of the Nottinghamshire County Council.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Nottinghamshire Variant #2

image by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020
Image based on this photo.

This commercially sold flag features a variant of the Nottinghamshire County Council Arms defacing the traditional English "Saint George's Cross" national flag. Before the new enthusiasm of designing and registering county flags with the Flag Institute this design was a popular solution for the lack of officially recognized county flags.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Nottinghamshire County Council
Commercial flag

image by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020
Image based on this photo located by Laurence Jones, 10 October 2005.

The website of Newton Newton Flags shows a flag for Nottinghamshire County Council as a green flag with a voided yellow rectangle, within which is the County Council's logo - a white "n" bearing a yellow oak tree. The tree represents Sherwood Forest.
Laurence Jones, 10 October 2005

Proposed Flags for Nottinghamshire
Design Contest held in 2011

   short list
compiled by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Voting has just opened on the BBC Nottingham web site for a Nottinghamshire flag. (BBC news) There is a selection of pictures of short listed designs elsewhere on the BBC web site located here which shows that this process has seemingly taken about eight months to get from design stage to selection of short list.
Colin Dobson, 31 March 2011

My compiled pictures of the proposed Nottinghamshire flag finalists is based on those presented on the BBC Nottinghamshire website.
The winning flag is at the bottom of the short list and is presented at the top of this page.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Nottinghamshire Police

image by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

The Nottinghamshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Nottinghamshire and the City of Nottingham. It began as the Nottinghamshire Constabulary in 1840, but in 1968 modernized its name to the Nottinghamshire Police. The main headquarters is located in the town of Arnold where it is run by the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

image by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020
Image based on this photo.

A special "Rainbow" variant of the Nottinghamshire Police flag is displayed to show the Nottinghamshire Police's commitment to supporting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT+) community during the annual high Pride festival.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
NFRS Department Shield on Basic Red Fire and Rescue Flag

image by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

The Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service provides the fire and rescue services for Nottinghamshire and the city of Nottingham. The Nottingham Fire Brigade and the Nottinghamshire Fire Brigade were first created under the Fire Services Act 1947. In 1974, the two brigades were merged. Since 1998 when Nottingham became a separate local government area, the service has been run by a joint fire authority made up of councilors from both the Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service Logos

   
logo images located by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

These logos are used on the NFRS department's website, banners and publications.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020

Southwell and Nottingham Diocese
Church of England

      images by Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020
Image based on this photo of a 4x6 table flag.

The Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham is headed by the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham. The diocese covers all the English county of Nottinghamshire and a few parishes in South Yorkshire. It is also the Church of England diocese for the Province of York. The flag shown here is a commercial flag and not an official flag of the diocese. The coat of arms, however, is the official arms of the diocese.
Pete Loeser, 21 December 2020