View source for Flag of Sark

{{short description|none}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox flag
| Name        = Sark
| Image       = Flag of Sark (bordered).svg
| Nickname    = 
| Morenicks   = 
| Use         = Flag of Sark<ref>{{cite web |title=Recent Grants of Arms |url=https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/images/Newsletter/Sark_flag.jpg |website=College of Arms |publisher=Official registers of coats of arms and pedigrees |access-date=11 May 2023 |ref=Grants by Her Majesty The Queen}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=January 2023 Newsletter (no. 70) |publisher=College of Arms |language=en-gb |url=https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/news-grants/newsletter/item/209-january-2023-newsletter-no-70 |access-date=2023-04-03}}</ref>
| Symbol     = 
| Proportion = 3:5
| Adoption   = 2020
| Design     = Argent, a cross gules, in the canton two lions passant guardant or
| Designer = }}

[[File:Flag_of_Sark.svg|thumb|The Seigneur's flag. Created in 1938. Used as the Seigneur's personal flag, it was then used as the de facto flag of Sark until 2020.<ref name="Flag Institute-1991" /> |262x262px]]

The flag of [[Sark]] consists of a white background with a red [[St. George's cross]] and a red canton containing the two yellow lions (or in heraldic terms "[[Leopard (heraldry)|leopard]]s") from the [[Flag and coat of arms of Normandy|flag of Normandy]]. This version of the flag was officially granted in 2020.<ref name="College of Arms-2023">{{Cite news |last=College of Arms |date=January 2023 |title=Recent Grants of Arms |url=https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/news-grants/newsletter/item/209-january-2023-newsletter-no-70#field2 |work=January 2023 Newsletter (no. 70)}}</ref>

Before its official grant, the flag of Sark showed the two lions protruding outside the canton and overflowing the red cross.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Flag Institute & Flags and Heraldry Committee |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Flying-Flags-in-the-United-Kingdom.pdf |title=Flying Flags in the United Kingdom |date=2020 |pages=10 |language=English}}</ref>  It was designed by [[Herbert Pitt]] in 1938<ref name="Flagmaster-2023" /> and then adopted as the personal standard of the [[Seigneur of Sark]] before becoming the island's flag.<ref name="Flag Institute-1991">{{Cite journal |last=Flag Institute |date=1991 |title=Seigneur of Sark, New personal banner |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Flagmaster-069-1991.pdf |journal=Flagmaster |volume=69 |pages=11}}</ref>

== History ==
[[Sark]] is a Channel Island part of the [[Bailiwick]] of [[Guernsey]], originally part of the [[Duchy of Normandy]].

The flag of Sark was designed in 1938 when the Dame of Sark, [[Sibyl Hathaway]], approached Herbert Pitt to design a flag.<ref name="Flagmaster-2023" /><ref name="BBC-2004">{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/content/articles/2004/07/21/sark_flag_feature.shtml |title=The Flag of Sark |publisher=BBC |date=2004-07-22 |accessdate=2021-06-25}}</ref> Herbert Pitt described the flag thus: ''<nowiki>''</nowiki>On a White Field, the Red cross of St George. The 1st Quarter <nowiki>''</nowiki>Gules, 2 lions-leopards passant guardant Or<nowiki>''</nowiki> (Normandy Ancient). The lion in base impinging on the dexter arm of the Cross.<nowiki>''</nowiki>''<ref>Letter from Herbert Pitt dated March 15, 1938 to Dame Sybil Hattaway. Preserved in the Seigneurial Archives of the Heritage Hall of Sark.</ref>

The canton is similar to the arms of [[Normandy]], of which the Channel Islands are historically a part. Unlike the classic [[White Ensign]]s, the lions of this flag protrude outside the canton and overflow the red cross.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/guernsey/content/articles/2004/07/21/sark_flag_feature.shtml|title =The Flag of Sark|work=BBC News Guernsey |date=2008-04-03 |access-date=17 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/flags/sark-flag/|title =Flag of Sark|work=Flag Institute |access-date=17 January 2022}}</ref> The flag was also referred to as the Seigneur's flag.<ref>{{cite book |first=Leonard |last=Clark |title=Sark Discovered |page=8 |publisher=Dent |year=1956 |isbn=9780234773369}}</ref> Dame Sibyl once claimed to the [[Flag Institute]] that this flag had been in use for "at least 200 years".<ref>{{cite book |title=The Flag Bulletin |page=70 |publisher=The Flag Research Centre |year=1973 |volume=12-14 |issn=0015-3370}}</ref> However, this has been doubted by Seigneur [[Michael Beaumont, 22nd Seigneur of Sark|Michael Beaumont]] who wrote later: <nowiki>''</nowiki>"Who designed it when I have no idea but I would guess it was at the instigation of my grandmother, Dame Sybil Hathaway, sometime between the wars".<nowiki>''</nowiki><ref>Letter from Seigneur Michael Beaumont dated December 10, 1998 to Jos Poels from the Flag Institute. Preserved in the Seigneurial Archives of the Heritage Hall of Sark.</ref>

In 1970, Dame Sybil wrote to the [[Flag Institute]] and confirmed that the flag, originally intended as a personal banner, was the flag of Sark.<ref name="Flag Institute-1991" /> When she died, it was draped over her coffin.<ref>{{Cite book |first=Barbara |last=Stoney |url=https://archive.org/details/sibyldameofsarkb0000ston/page/244/mode/1up |title=Sibyl, Dame of Sark : a biography |date=1984 |isbn=0950936006 |publication-date=1984 |pages=244|publisher=Burbridge }}</ref>

In 1987, when Sark was invited to participate in [[Island Games]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iiga.org/games_profile_12518.html |title=Second Island Games Guernsey 1987 |publisher=Island Games Association |accessdate=2021-06-26}}</ref> it was noted the island had no individual flag to represent it. Accordingly, Seigneur Beaumont granted permission for the Seigneur's flag to be used as the ''[[de facto]]'' flag of Sark.<ref name="BBC-2004" /> Beaumont later insisted it was still his personal flag but the Sark residents argued that it should be for the island.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Flagmaster-069-1991.pdf |journal=Flagmaster |title=Seigneur of Sark, new personal banner |publisher=The Flag Institute |year=1991 |page=11 |accessdate=2024-05-18}}</ref> The dispute was settled in 1991 when Beaumont stated that due to it being perceived as Sark's flag then he would agree to it being accepted as such.<ref name="Flagmaster-2023">{{cite journal |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Flagmaster-166-2023.pdf |title=The Sark Flag now has Royal approval |publisher=The Flag Institute |journal=Flagmaster |year=2023 |pages=18–19 |accessdate=2024-05-18}}</ref>  He then chose for his personal banner a red banner with two golden lions.<ref name="Flag Institute-1991" /><ref name="Flagmaster-2023" />
<gallery widths="160" heights="160">
File:1956 - The Seigneur's Flag - Sark discovered - Leonard Clark. Page VIII.png|The flag in ''Sark Discover<ref>{{cite book |last=Clark |first=Leonard |url=https://archive.org/details/sarkdiscoveredpr0000clar/page/n13/mode/1up |title=Sark Discovered |date=1956 |publisher=Dent |isbn=9780234773369 |pages=VIII}}</ref>,'' foreworded by [[Sibyl Hathaway|Dame Sibyl Hathaway]]''.''(1956)
File:Sark July 2010 29.jpg|A shop in Sark (2010)
File:Sark Folk Festival 2013 19.jpg|Sark Folk Festival in 2013
</gallery>

=== New version and official grant (2020) ===
Shortly after succeeding his father as Seigneur, [[Christopher Beaumont, 23rd Seigneur of Sark|Christopher Beaumont]] realised that the flag had not been officially endorsed by The Crown for use as flag of the island.<ref>{{cite journal |year=2023 |title=The Sark Flag now has Royal approval |url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Flagmaster-166-2023.pdf |journal=Flagmaster |publisher=The Flag Institute |pages=18–19 |accessdate=2024-05-18}}</ref> He contacted the [[College of Arms]] to petition Queen [[Elizabeth II]] to approve a design of the flag in which the lions were only in canton. The flag was formally granted on 4 June 2020 by the Queen; this was the final grant of arms made by her before her [[Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II|death]].<ref name="College of Arms-2023" />

== Use outside Sark ==
[[File:Flags of Crown Dependencies (Parliament Square 2023).png|thumb|right|Traditional flag in Parliament Square in London (2023)]]

The flag of Sark is flown alongside the flags of other [[Crown Dependencies]] in [[Parliament Square]] in London.

The flag is flown from the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Justice]] in London on 6 August to mark the granting of the fief on that day in 1565. The Ministry of Justice is the British government department responsible for relations with the [[Crown Dependencies]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gsy.bailiwickexpress.com/gsy/news/ministry-justice-raises-sark-flag-fief-day/#.ZFp46i0w01I/|title = Ministry of Justice raises Sark flag for Fief dayMinistry of Justice raises Sark flag for Fief day |work=Guernsey Press |date=2022-08-06 |access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sark flag flown on Ministry of Justice building in London for Liberation Day |url=https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2020-05-10/sark-flag-flown-on-ministry-of-justice-building-in-london-for-liberation-day |publisher=ITV |work=Guernsey Press |date=2020-05-10|access-date=9 May 2023}}</ref><br>

== Flag of Brecquou ==
[[File:Flag of Brecqhou.svg|thumb|Flag used by Leonard Matchan for Brecquou]]

In the 1960s, [[Sibyl Hathaway|Dame Sibyl Hathaway]] sold the [[Tenement (law)|tenement]] of the island of [[Brecqhou]] to Leonard Matchan. Upon taking up the tenancy, he adopted his own flag for Brecqhou using the Seigneur's flag as the basis and sewed his own personal coat of arms onto it.<ref>{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Henry |date= |title=Sark and Brecqhou |url=https://www.shimajournal.org/issues/v8n1/d.-Johnson-Shima-v8n1-9-33.pdf |accessdate=2021-06-25 |publisher=Shima Journal |page=22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ken Hawkes |url=https://archive.org/details/sark0000hawk_i6v5/page/154/mode/1up |title=Sark |date=1983 |isbn=9780902550087 |publication-date=1983 |pages=154 |publisher=Guernsey Press |language=English}}</ref> In 1993, when the tenement was purchased by [[David and Frederick Barclay]], they also adopted their own flag by using the Seigneur's flag with their coat of arms defacing it.<ref>{{Cite news |date=11 October 2005 |title=On Island of Sark, Twin British Brothers Joust with Feudalism |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB112898955858065034 |accessdate=2021-06-25 |newspaper=Wall Street Journal}}</ref>

== In Unicode ==
The flag of Sark was approved by the [[Unicode Consortium]] for inclusion in Unicode 16.0 in 2024. The flag is implemented using the [[regional indicator symbol]] sequence {{mono|CQ}}.<ref>{{cite news|title=Which new emojis could we be using in 2025? |date=22 July 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/cmj21jljnn4o |work=[[BBC]] |access-date=2024-08-13}} </ref>

==As an emoji==
The flag was added as an [[emoji]] on the [[Apple Color Emoji]] typeface in [[iOS 18|iOS 18.4]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Phelan |first=David |date=March 31, 2025 |title=iOS 18.4: Apple Releases New iPhone Update Early, Recommended For All Users |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidphelan/2025/03/31/apple-ios-184-new-release-date-major-iphone-update-lands-any-minute-now/ |website=Forbes |access-date=April 26, 2025 |quote=The new emoji include a new Smiley with bags under their eyes—that’s the one that I think is going to prove very popular. There’s also a fingerprint (also useful), a splatter, a root vegetable, leafless tree, a harp, shovel and the flag for the island of Sark.}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of flags of the United Kingdom]]
* [[Flag and coat of arms of Normandy]]
* [[Flag of Guernsey]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Flag of Europe}}
{{nationalflags}}<!-- to edit this table, go to [[Template:Nationalflags]] -->
{{Flags of British dependencies}}

[[Category:National symbols of Sark]]
[[Category:National flags|Sark]]
[[Category:Flags introduced in 1938|Sark]]
[[Category:Flags displaying animals]]
[[Category:Flags of Crown Dependencies]]

[[de:Flagge Guernseys#Flaggen der Inseln]]