The proposed flag for the county, also known as “The Mearns”, is formed from the arms of Clan Keith

a white field with an upper section, or chief, of alternate red and yellow bars.

Additionally, the red and yellow bands of the Keith arms are also found on the civic arms of Stonehaven, the modern county town

The Keiths are hereditary holders of the post of Earl Marischal, charged with care of the Regalia; the Scottish crown jewels, the royal crown, the sword of state and the sceptre. These are present in the arms of that office

where the sword and sceptre are crossed to form a saltire and appeared again in the arms of the former Kincardineshire county council

granted in 1927, over a depiction of Dunnotar Castle in the county, to recall a significant chapter in Scottish history when William Keith, the 6th Earl Marischal, took the Regalia to the castle for safekeeping against the army of Oliver Cromwell, the building being subsequently besieged. The castle’s governor, George Ogilvy of Barras and the minister of nearby Kinneff parish, James Granger, smuggled the items out of the castle and buried them under the floor of the parish church until restoration of the monarchy in 1660. The sword and sceptre accordingly feature in the flag, in the red of the council colours, to stand out against the white background

The council arms were also used as a badge by the local police force

The regalia featured again in the arms of the former Kincardine and Deeside Council

which included green and yellow bands at the base, as a reference to the verdant countryside of the locality, the pattern likely inspired by their use on the Keith arms. These form the lower edge of the flag

which is depicted below

atop the ruin of Dunnotar Castle. The proposal thus complies with the recommendations of good flag design; it is simple; it has very locally meaningful and culturally relevant symbolism; it uses four colours; it is completely unique and very distinct. It also references a great episode in the county’s history and is bright and colourful.

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