Flag of East Lothian facts for kids
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| Proportion | 3:5 |
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| Adopted | 13 December 2018 |
| Designed by | Archie Martin |
The East Lothian flag is the official flag for the Scottish county of East Lothian. This area is also known as Haddingtonshire. The flag was officially registered on 13 December 2018. This happened after it was announced at a special event.
What the East Lothian Flag Means
The flag has a special design. It features a blue background with a gold saltire. A saltire is an X-shaped cross, like the one on the Scottish national flag. This design reminds us that East Lothian is believed to be where the Scottish flag's story began.
The gold color of the cross shows how rich the county's farmlands are. East Lothian is known as the "granary of Scotland" because it grows so much grain.
You will also see a lion rampant on the flag. This means a lion standing on its hind legs. The lion is a very old symbol for East Lothian. It appears on many local coats of arms. This is because King William the Lion was born in Haddington, a town in East Lothian.
Two thin blue stripes run through the gold cross. These stripes represent the two main rivers in the county: the River Esk and the River Tyne.
How the Flag Was Chosen
The East Lothian flag was chosen through a public competition. The competition was organized by the East Lothian Council and the Scottish Flag Trust. The Lord Lyon and the East Lothian Courier newspaper also helped.
Anyone could enter the competition. More than 620 designs were sent in. Entries came from all over East Lothian, other parts of the UK, and even from countries like the United States and New Zealand.
A group of judges picked the best designs. This group included important people like the Lord Lieutenant of East Lothian and the Lord Lyon. They also included the head of East Lothian Council and the chairman of the Scottish Flag Trust. The editor of the East Lothian Courier was also a judge.
Four flag designs were chosen as finalists. The public then voted for their favorite design. The winning flag was announced on 13 December 2018.
See also
