SUPER SUSSEX
EMBLEMS OF GOLD in a field of blue T
Can it be true that Sussex has its’ own flag? It is and it does and it’s rather impressive, just like the back-story as Robert Veitch discovered when he met Brady Ells
10 SUSSEX LIVING | June 2021
he sight of six yellow birds on a vivid blue background is one that’s become increasingly frequent over the last decade, but how did it come to be and what are those birds with fluffy feet? Those fluffy footed avians are mythical martlets. A martlet has feathers instead of feet because it’s always airborne, which infers continuous effort, plus a thirst for knowledge and adventure. The word martlet derives from the bird name martin and the suffix let meaning smaller. The venerable heraldic shield of Sussex pictures six gold martlets on a blue background using one bird as an emblem for each historic rape: Chichester, Arundel, Bramber, Lewes, Pevensey and Hastings. Martlets have appeared on heraldic shields in Sussex since the 14th century. Back then it was on the coat of arms belonging to Sir John de Radynden and featured silver birds on a
blue background. Sir John was from Brighton and represented Sussex as a Knight of the shire. When Sir John’s daughter married into the Dallingridge family of Bodiam Castle a shield comprising of six martlets was carved into the castle gatehouse.
A shield comprising of six martlets was carved into the castle gatehouse Over time, Martlets came to be seen as an emblem of Sussex, they started to represent an area, not just an individual. During the early 17th century, John Speed, the renowned cartographer of the era used Sir John de Radynden’s shield to represent the Kingdom of the South Saxons in his work. The martlets evolved from silver to gold but the background remained blue. The design became incorporated into many emblems across the county over subsequent years; including Sussex
