Flag
Object name
Date made
Late 19th century
Place made
Description
Damaged naval flag dating to the late 19th century, most likely embroidered by a sailor or another individual at sea or associated with it. Features the Red Ensign, White Ensign, and the coat of arms of the United Kingdom.
Content description
Damaged naval flag dating to the late 19th century, featuring the Red Ensign and the White Ensign above the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. A lion and unicorn flank the coat of arms, which is surrounded by the motto of the Order of the Garter, 'Honi soit qui mal y pense'. Underneath the lion and unicorn is the motto of the British monarch, 'Dieu et mon droit'. The limited colour palette and style of embroidery suggest the flag was embroidered by a sailor or someone similar. The square flag has a silk base that has now faded to a light purple-blue with a darker border.
The White Ensign, flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments, and the Red Ensign, the flag flown by British merchant or passenger ships since 1707, are worked in Bayeux stitch, with the stripes of the British flags within the flags worked in a diagonal variation. The borders and poles are worked in couched silver passing threads, as is the crown at the top of the coat of arms. There is laid work in light purple threads within the crown. The coat of arms and bottom of the garter are raised and embroidered with Bayeux stitch in white, cream, pink, and green wool separated into sections with couched silver passing threads. The lettering on the cream exterior border of the oval is stitched with black wool in long and short stitches. The coat of arms is quartered with two trios of lions, a single lion, and harp with a human head and body, all embroidered in satin stitches.
The lion and unicorn are padded and embroidered in mostly a variation of Bayeux stitch. Whipped back stitches outline shapes like the mane, legs, arms and head. Straight stitches form the eyes and hooves and the tails are made up of irregular cable stitches. The unicorn's horn is also stitched in cable stitch at an angle, forming a spiral shape. 'Dieu et mon droit' is embroidered in white stem stitches framed by a banner of couched silver passing threads, which also decorate the bottom of the flag in curving lines.
Embroidered flags with these sorts of images, clearly used by ships, survive from the late 19th century, but the padded nature of this flag, as well as its heavy use of Bayeux stitch, is unusual. Woolwork was undertaken frequently by sailors in this period, though more common than coat of arms are depictions of boats themselves. The flag's poor condition is likely a result of heavy use. The flag was conserved in the RSN Embroidery Studio in 2026.
The White Ensign, flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments, and the Red Ensign, the flag flown by British merchant or passenger ships since 1707, are worked in Bayeux stitch, with the stripes of the British flags within the flags worked in a diagonal variation. The borders and poles are worked in couched silver passing threads, as is the crown at the top of the coat of arms. There is laid work in light purple threads within the crown. The coat of arms and bottom of the garter are raised and embroidered with Bayeux stitch in white, cream, pink, and green wool separated into sections with couched silver passing threads. The lettering on the cream exterior border of the oval is stitched with black wool in long and short stitches. The coat of arms is quartered with two trios of lions, a single lion, and harp with a human head and body, all embroidered in satin stitches.
The lion and unicorn are padded and embroidered in mostly a variation of Bayeux stitch. Whipped back stitches outline shapes like the mane, legs, arms and head. Straight stitches form the eyes and hooves and the tails are made up of irregular cable stitches. The unicorn's horn is also stitched in cable stitch at an angle, forming a spiral shape. 'Dieu et mon droit' is embroidered in white stem stitches framed by a banner of couched silver passing threads, which also decorate the bottom of the flag in curving lines.
Embroidered flags with these sorts of images, clearly used by ships, survive from the late 19th century, but the padded nature of this flag, as well as its heavy use of Bayeux stitch, is unusual. Woolwork was undertaken frequently by sailors in this period, though more common than coat of arms are depictions of boats themselves. The flag's poor condition is likely a result of heavy use. The flag was conserved in the RSN Embroidery Studio in 2026.
Dimensions
height: 53cm
length: 50cm
length: 50cm
Materials
Stitches
Techniques
Motifs
Catalogue number
RSN.3214
© Royal School of Needlework