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Leicestershire

 

One of only three English counties without a registered flag, the above fox and cinquefoil design is now being promoted by a group in the county including a Facebook page here 

The design features several elements or charges long associated with the county, reflecting a rich symbolic history; namely, a red and white serrated or zigzag division, a five petal floral symbol termed a cinquefoil and a running fox.

The red and white divided field was a pattern borne by the de Montfort earls of Leicester, whose family emanated from Normandy. Simon(the younger) de Montfort is ascribed arms in the heraldic roll (Roll temp. Henry III) with a shield with a white and red indented division.

Simon de M

As the de Montfort family also used a white lion a red shield, it seems that this older set of arms was used to represent the office, the earldom of Leicester. The environs of Hinckley came to be strongly associated with this design being termed the “Arms of Honour of Hinckley” and it today forms part of the badge of Hinckley AFC

Hinckley AFC

The De Montforts also married into the De Beaumont (De Bellomont) family, who bore arms depicting an ermine cinquefoil against a red field

beaumont

A tile bearing a cinquefoil is also amongst the designs located at the 14th century Saint Mary de Castro church in Leicester.

The red and white and zigzag division and the ermine cinquefoil are all found in the arms of Leicestershire County Council.

L-CC-Coat-of-Arms-300x214

and the proposed flag retains this traditional pattern but in the horizontal depiction found on the council’s arms.

The De Beaumont cinquefoil appears on the appear sectionhaving been associated with the county since at least 1784 when it appeared on ‘A New Map Of The Counties Of Leicester And Rutland Drawn From The Latest Authorities’ by Thomas Conder

conder

A cinquefoil also appears on a number of civic arms of towns in the county and on the arms of the local university

Leicestershire is also closely associated with a  fox, it is the crest of the council’s arms

foxcrest

and is deployed as  a modern logo

images

Originally marking the county’s status as the home of organised hunting, the device is now proudly and widely used to symbolise Leicestershire itself, superseding the original reference.

Local bodies using a fox include the county ambulance serviceambulance

Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland Army Cadet Force;

22497638_1929014454029003_370596418_n

the Women’s Institute

IMG_5763

Leicestershire Scouts

the county cricket team

22551676_1929014394029009_567708072_n

, which, pointedly, is named “Leicestershire Foxes”

lfoxes

The local golf union

golf

 

the county rugby association;

RUGBY

 

lhock

squash

badminton;

tennis 

and bowls

teams.

Leicestershire’s distinct cinquefoil and fox emblems are presently found in combination on the badge of Leicester Football Club

Leicester City Football Club

the emblem of the county police force

leics police

and the insignia of the county’s Amateur Swimming Association

lswim

 

The combination of fox and cinquefoil on the flag thus continues a recognised county theme, in a simply constructed and locally meaningful design.

              

 

The flag is seen here with a local military re-enactment group.

 

The flag is promoted here https://www.facebook.com/LeicestershireFlag/

 

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