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Hertfordshire (England)

English Traditional County

image located by Jason Saber, 2 December 2008
Image by Graham Bartram resized from UK Flag Registry

On this page:

Introduction: About the Hertfordshire Flag
Hertfordshire Police flag
Hertfordshire Coat of Arms

See also:

Introduction: About the Hertfordshire Flag

Hertfordshire County Council flies a banner of its arms as a flag. The colours in the flag here are a bit lighter than those in the flag I have.
Jason Saber, 20 August 2008

Quoting "Welvyn & Hatfield Times, 24, 25 November 2008:

"Buildings across Hertfordshire will now legally be permitted to fly the county flag. Until now, only the county council could lawfully hoist the flag aloft, but now other organisations and individuals will be able display it. The flag incorporates eight white and blue wavy lines, which represent the many rivers in Hertfordshire. The ensign also includes the image of a gold shield and a recumbent deer.

...Welwyn Hatfield Council leader John Dean said there were currently no plans to fly the county flag from civic buildings in the borough.

...The source includes a colour photograph (uncredited, undated) showing the flag flying at county hall. It differs from the image shown above in some details: The top of the flag is white and not blue. The waves are more pronounced.

...This is confirmed by PR7861, released by the Hertfordshire County Council: "Today's meeting of the Cabinet agreed to allow the flag based on the County Council's coat of arms to be registered in a way which will allow it to be used widely within Hertfordshire. The decision follows an approach from the local representative of The Flag Institute which is the organization that manages the United Kingdom Flag Registry to which the Hertfordshire flag will now be added.

...The flag incorporates eight, alternate, white and blue wavy lines which represent the many rivers in Hertfordshire. In the centre is a gold shield with a deer, lying down. In heraldry deer are often described as harts' and this animal is widely used in Hertfordshire to allude to the county's name. Once the registration formalities have been completed, the technical description of the flag will be provided to flag makers to ensure that their supplies display the design accurately. Those flying the flag will not need to get planning permission to do so because English county flags are one of a limited number of types that were exempted from the need for consent under government regulations agreed last year."

Ivan Sache, 25 November 2008

Hertfordshire County Council, under the leadership of Robert Gordon, passed a resolution on 19th November 2008: "This Council has, for the better representation of the County of Hertfordshire and its people, decided that the banner of the County Council's arms, namely 'Barry wavy of eight Azure and Argent an Inescutcheon Or charged with a Hart lodged proper' is a fitting and proper emblem for the county and its people and will from this day be the County flag of Hertfordshire. The use of the full achievement of arms, with supporters and mural crown as a crest, is still restricted to the County Council and those specifically authorised by it."

Flag Type: County Flag
Flag Date: 19th November 2008
Adoption Route: Local Council
Designer: College of Arms
UK Design Code: UNKG7417
Aspect Ratio: 3:5
Pantone© Colours: Blue 300, White, Yellow 116, Brown 70% 1405
Certification: Chief Vexillologist, Graham Bartram

Jason Saber, 1 December 2008

Hertfordshire Police Flags

images by Pete Loeser, 3 October 2020

A blue flag, ratio maybe 2:3 [or 3:5]. In the centre of the flag is the crest of Hertfordshire police.

Description of crest: A white police-star is surrounding a blue roundel with a white passant stag over three white wavy lines. The roundel is edged by a belt, maybe some order. Upon the belt is an inscription in white capitals "HERTFORDSHIRE CONSTABULARY". The star is topped by a white royal crown. The grey lines around the segments of the star in reality are white embroideries. At the bottom of star is a blue rectangle with three white points ordered one above two.
Note that the crown is different in crest on the second flag.
Source: I spotted this flag on 5 May 2007 in front of St. Albans Police Station. I saw another red police flag, being still in Herts near Stanstead Airport.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 24 August 2008

Community Support and Awareness Flags

images by Pete Loeser, 3 October 2020
based on this photo and this photo

These two variants of the Hertfordshire Police flags demonstrated the departments commitment to all its residents and minority groups in the community. The first was supporting the International Day of Persons with Disabilites and the other supporting the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. (source #1) (source #2)
Pete Loeser, 3 October 2020

Hertfordshire Coat of Arms

image by Pete Loeser, 3 October 2020

The Hertfordshire arms were officially granted the county in June of 1925. The design of the county arms are based on those of the rural town of Hertford. Before 1925 the County Council used a shield combining the arms of Hertford and Saint Albans. The 1925 grant Hertfordshire a shield bearing the arms of Saint Albans. The motto used was that of the Lord Lieutenant at the time of the grant.

Official Blazon:

Arms: Barry wavy of eight Azure and Argent an Inescutcheon Or charged with a Hart lodged proper. The shield surmounted by a Mural Crown as a Crest.
Crest: On either side a Hart proper gorged with a Chain Or pendant therefrom an Escutcheon Azure charged with a Saltire Or.
Motto: "Trust And Fear Not"

Source: Heraldry of the World: Hertfordshire.
Pete Loeser, 3 October 2020