English: Attributed arms of the Kingdom of Northumbria of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy: Paly of eight or and gules. Bede in his Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum described the banner on the tomb of the seventh century King Oswald, who had united Bernicia & Deira to form the Kingdom of Northumbria: "they hung up over the monument his banner made of gold and purple". It is by tradition shown gold and red. From: http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/north_east.html "arms attributed by the medieval heralds to the ancient Kingdom of Bernicia - Paly of eight gold and gules. Bernicia formed the northern part of the present County and its arms may have been suggested by the Venerable Bede's reference to 'a banner made of gold and purple' which was hung over the tomb of St. Oswald, the first Christian King of Northumbria." From wikipedia w:Northumbria "Oswald was a King of Bernicia, who regained the kingdom of Deira after defeating Cadwallon in 634. Oswald then ruled Northumbria until his death in 642. A devout Christian, Oswald worked tirelessly to spread the religion in his traditionally pagan lands. It was during his reign that the monastery at Lindisfarne was created. Oswald fell in the Battle of Maserfield against Penda of Mercia in 642 but his influence endured because, like Edwin, Oswald was venerated as a saint after his death"