The Red Rose of Lancaster is the county flower of Lancashire.
The exact species or cultivar which the red rose relates to is uncertain, but it
is thought to be Rosa gallica officinalis.
The rose was first adopted as an heraldic device by the first Earl of
Lancaster and became the emblem of Lancashire following the Battle of
Bosworth in 1485. Flower
Lancaster's Red Rose is an official variety and is possibly the first
cultivated rose. The rose grew wild throughout Central Asia and was
discovered by the ancient Persians and Egyptians. Later adopted by the Romans,
who introduced it to Gaul where it assumed the name Rosa gallica. It is
documented that Charlemagne's court exploited the rose as a perfume. The
rose was also appreciated for its medical value and was utilized in
countless medical remedies. Medieval symbol
It is believed that the Red Rose of Lancaster was the House of Lancaster's
badge during the Wars of the Roses. There are, however, doubts as to whether
the red rose was actually an emblem taken up by the Lancastrians during the
Wars of the Roses. Adrian Ailes has noted that the red rose “probably owes
its popular usage to Henry VII quickly responding to the pre-existing Yorkist
white rose in an age when signs and symbols could speak louder than words.
It also allowed Henry to invent and exploit his most famous heraldic device,
the Tudor Rose, combining the so-called Lancastrian red rose and the White Rose
of York. This floral union neatly symbolised the restoration of peace and
harmony and his marriage in January 1486 to Elizabeth of York. It was a brilliant
piece of simple heraldic propaganda.” The Tudor Rose is used as the plant
badge of England. Later use
The rose does not form any part of the insignia of the Duchy of Lancaster, but
came to be seen as an emblem of the county of Lancashire, and as such was
incorporated in the coats of arms of numerous Lancashire local authorities
including the county council. Since 1974 a number of metropolitan boroughs in
Greater Manchester and Merseyside have included red roses in their armorial
bearings to show their formation from parts of Lancashire. It is also present
in the crest of the coat of arms of the London Borough of Enfield.
The traditional Lancashire flag, red rose on a white field, was never
officially registered with the Flag Institute and when this was attempted it
was found that this flag had been registered by the town of Montrose,
Scotland. As two flags of the same design can not be registered,
Lancashire’s official flag is now registered as a red rose on a yellow
field. Today the Red Rose is still widely used,
and not necessarily on a yellow background. Lancashire County Cricket
Club still use the rose as an emblem. The Trafford Centre also feature Red
Roses in its architecture, most noticeably on all of the glass panes in
the shopping centre. Edge Hill University in Ormskirk uses the Red Rose
on a yellow background on its crest along with a Liver bird which signifies
its current location and origins in Liverpool.
Military use From the nineteenth century the red rose
was part of the badge of a number of units of the British Army recruiting in
the county. In World War I the rose was worn by British 55th Division during
their campaign in Belgium; their motto was "They win or die, who wear the Rose
of Lancaster". The cap badge of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, formed in 2006,
features the rose. The Saskatoon Light Infantry of the
Canadian Army also incorporated the red rose into the design of their cap badge
and regimental buttons, due to an alliance with the York and Lancaster
Regiment of the British Army. International use
The Canadian city of Montreal, has a Lancastrian rose in the top right hand
corner of its flag, representing the city's historical English community.
The City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, known as "Red Rose City", uses the
Lancastrian rose as its seal, and in its flag.
See also Royal Badges of England
Wars of the Roses White Rose of York
Tudor rose References
External links Lancashire villages homepage concerning
the rose 55th Territorial