Town set to fly the flag after design is approved

The design encompasses one similar to the town council’s coat-of-arms, on a field of red and blue, with a wavy line representing the River Kennet running across the middle.
It features the emblems of Newbury Castle, a teasel, a corn sheaf and two crossed swords.
Newbury Castle, besieged by King Stephen in the 12th century civil war with the Empress Matilda, harks back to one of the town’s earliest references, when it was known as Neoburiae, before becoming New Burgh on being granted borough status in 1189.
The teasel represents the wool industry that existed in Newbury, as the spiky plant heads were used in the combing of wool, while the cornsheaf shows the status of a market town. The Corn Exchange was built in 1862.
The two crossed swords symbolise the two battles of Newbury during the English Civil War in 1643 and 1644.
The chairwoman of the town council’s civic pride committee Gabrielle McGarvey (Lib Dem, St Johns) said a lot of effort had gone into the project and that it had been an interesting time, working with local historians and the Royal College of Arms.
However, there was some confusion over the teasel, with some members thinking it was a thistle.
Richard Kingsley Evans (Con, St Johns) asked what it was meant to be, and Adrian Edwards (Con, Falkland) asked why a sheep was not included on the flag to better symbolise the wool trade.
Mrs McGarvey said that many options had been considered but that a teasel would be distinctive and would make reference to clothier John Winchcombe who used the plant in his work, which led to a prosperous period in the town’s history.
The final design work for the flag was given free of charge by local company Maxx Design, whose manager Dermot de Courcy Robinson, said that he “believed in Newbury” and thanked the town council for welcoming him to the project.
The flag will also feature as a part of the 50th anniversary of Newbury being twinned with Braunfels in Germany, when there are plans to hand over a flag and scroll.
Mrs McGarvey said that she hoped that a large flag, along with smaller hand-held flags, would be ready to display on the day of the Newbury Carnival, on July 14.
Speaking on the design after the meeting, Mrs McGarvey said: “We wanted to keep the history and the tradition. It’s also to help educate people who come to the town, as it’s important for them to learn about Newbury’s history.”