Sutherland

The Sutherland Flag is a community flag proclaiming the unique identity of this historic Scottish county.

It features a black Saltire and a black Nordic Cross overlaid on a white field, with an eight-pointed yellow star at the point where the crosses meet.

The design reflects Sutherland’s unique history as the Viking ‘South Land’, the limit of Norwegian control of the Scottish mainland.

The two crosses denote this meeting of Scotland and Norway, while black recalls Sutherland’s dark skies and the peaty soil of the Flow Country.

In conjuction with the white field it also evokes the arms of the former Sutherland County Council.

The yellow star symbolises the origins of the county’s name, evoking the sun that shines highest in the south.

It also reflects Sutherland’s two coasts: the sunrises of the east and the sunsets of the west.

The Sutherland Flag Steering Group initially appointed representative panels to shortlist and select a flag.

They chose a red/gold bicolour charged with an eagle, provoking public objections about the process, colours and design.

In response, the Lord Lieutenant ordered a public vote from a revised shortlist including the original winner.

A new design was then selected with a 29 per cent share of the poll.

The Sutherland Flag flew for the first time at a ceremony at the Highland Council offices in Drummuie, Golspie.

A party of active and retired sailors from HMS Sutherland, accompanied by the Sutherland Schools Pipe Band, conducted the formal raising.