Flag of Greater Manchester
The Flag of Greater Manchester is the flag of the metropolitan county[1] of Greater Manchester in England.[2]
 | |
| Proportion | 3:5 |
|---|---|
| Adopted | 1974 |
| Design | Gules, ten Towers three two three two, all within a Bordure embattled Or |
History change
The flag was adopted by Greater Manchester County Council in 1974, and derives from the shield and crest design on the coat of arms of Greater Manchester; the design itself is used by a number of organisations that represent the Greater Manchester area, such as the former Greater Manchester County Council, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, and the Greater Manchester Army Cadet Force, all of which use ten golden towers on a red background to represent the ten metropolitan boroughs.
Description change
The flag consists of ten golden castles (arranged in rows of 3–2–3–2) on a red background, fringed by a golden border in the style of a castle battlement. The blazon is: "Gules, ten Towers three two three two, all within a Bordure embattled Or".
The ten golden castles represent each of the county's ten districts: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Tameside, Trafford, Salford, Stockport, and Wigan. The red ground represents manpower and the region's red-brick architectural heritage, both legacies of Greater Manchester's industrial past. The embattled border represents the unity and shared future of the region, and its bold, vigilant and forward-looking character.
Usage change
The flag currently flies in front of the National Rail offices at Manchester Piccadilly railway station, and in front of Rochdale Town Hall.
References change
- ↑ "UK counties and unitary administrations as at 2009" (pdf). Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
- ↑ "Greater Manchester". County Flags. Flying Colours Flagmakers. Archived from the original on 2013-10-23. Retrieved 2013-08-12.
