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Newbury, Berkshire (England)

image provided by Philip Tibbetts, 25 November 2014

Description of the flag

Description of the Flag

Based on http://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/newbury/
Flag Type: Town Flag
Flag Date: 14th July 2013
Flag Designer: Dr David Peacock, Bella Davies & Dermot de Courcy Robinson
Adoption Route: Town Council
UK Design Code: UNKG7521
Aspect Ratio: 3:5
Pantone(r) Colours: Blue 286, Red 186, Yellow 109, White
Certification: Flag Institute Chief Vexillologist, Graham Bartram

The top left quadrant contains Newbury Castle. The castle (which is not Donnington Castle) has been represented in a number of different ways since 1599 although the theme of three domed towers is relatively consistent. The castle is supposed to have been in the Wharf area of the town, although no evidence of it has yet been found, and it was besieged by King Stephen in 1152 AD.

The top right quadrant contains a teasel (not a thistle!) which reminds us of the important and prosperous period in Newbury's history when John Winchcombe ("the most considerable clothier England ever beheld") used teasels for combing and teasing wool and to raise a nap on the finished cloth.

The lower left section contains a 'garb' or sheaf of corn which represents the rich agricultural history of the area, grains, horses, cattle and cheese, and in particular, the large amounts of corn which were traded in the nineteenth century. The volumes of grain were so high that the Corn Exchange was built and opened in 1862 to handle the large amount of business that was transacted in the town.

The lower right section contains two crossed basket hilt mortuary swords of the type that were used in the two local battles in the Civil War. The first was in 1643 around Wash Common and Enborne, whilst the second in 1644 was fought in and around Shaw and Speen. Research on the swords came from a local Battlefields' Trust representative and the Royal Armouries Civil War Collection at Littlecote House.

Across the centre runs a wavy blue line which represents the River Kennet to remind us of the importance Newbury had from very early times as a crossing point of the river and later as an inland port on the national river and canal network.

Philip Tibbetts, 25 November 2014