What is the symbol of wales

The Red Dragon of Wales

by Ben Johnson

Although an integral part of the United Kingdom, Wales is not represented on the national flag, or Union Flag, more popularly known as the Union Jack.

The proud and ancient battle standard of the Welsh is The Red Dragon (Y Ddraig Goch) and consists of a red dragon, passant (standing with one foot raised), on a green and white background. As with any ancient symbol, the appearance of the dragon has been adapted and changed over the years, and hence several different variations exist.

The current flag was officially adopted in 1959, and is based on an old royal badge used by British kings and queens since Tudor times. The red dragon itself has been associated with Wales for centuries, and as such, the flag is claimed to be the oldest national flag still in use. But why a dragon? The answer to that particular question is lost in history and myth.

Roman Cavalry Draco

One legend recalls Romano-British soldiers carrying the red dragon (Draco) to Rome on their banners in the fourth-century, but it could be even older than that.

It is considered that the Welsh kings of Aberffraw first adopted the dragon in the early fifth century in order to symbolise their power and authority after the Romans withdrew from Britain. Later, around the seventh century, it became known as the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr, king of Gwynedd from 655 to 682.

Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Historia Regum Britanniae, written between 1120 and 1129, links the dragon with the Arthurian legends, including Uther Pendragon the father of Arthur whose name translates as Dragon Head. Geoffrey’s account also tells of the prophecy of Myrddin (or Merlin) of a long fight between a red dragon and a white dragon, symbolising the historical struggle between the Welsh (red dragon) and the English (white dragon).

The oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolise Wales however, is from the Historia Brittonum, written by the historian Nennius around 820.

The red dragon was even said to have been used as the British standard at the Battle of Crecy in 1346, when the Welsh archers, dressed in their beloved green and white, played such a crucial role in defeating the French.

The coat of arms of Henry VII with the Welsh Dragon supporting the royal arms of England

And although Owain Glyndwr raised the dragon standard in 1400 as a symbol of revolt against the English Crown, the dragon was brought to England by the House of Tudor, the Welsh dynasty that held the English throne from 1485 to 1603. It signified their direct descent from one of the noble families of Wales. The green and white stripes of the flag were additions of Henry VII, the first Tudor king, representing the colours of his standard.

During Henry VIII’s reign the red dragon on a green and white background became a favourite emblem on Royal Navy ships.

As the national flag of Wales, the red dragon appears to have regained popularity in the early part of the twentieth century, when it was used for the 1911 Caernarfon Investiture of Edward, Prince of Wales. It wasn’t until 1959 however, that it became officially recognised as the national flag of the country.

The Red Dragon now flies proudly over public and private buildings throughout Wales, and thousands still cross the border into England every other year, when the two nations meet for their ‘historic struggle’ on the rugby battlefield known as Twickenham. Welshmen, women and children carrying the dragon as a symbol of pride in their history and culture.

The Leek – National Emblem of the Welsh

by Ben Johnson

Proudly sported every St. David’s Day on 1st March and at every international rugby match, the leek is now widely recognised as the national symbol of Wales. But why is it that patriotic Welshmen and women across the world attach this strong smelling member of the onion family to their clothing? The true origins are now perhaps lost in myth and legend; however the history can certainly be traced back at least seven hundred years.

During Elizabethan times, Shakespeare refers to the custom of wearing a leek as an “ancient tradition”, and his character Henry V tells Fluellen that he is wearing a leek “for I am Welsh, you know, good countryman.”

Even earlier than this, entries in the household accounts of the ‘Welsh’ Tudor Kings of England, record payments for leeks worn by the household guards on St. David’s Day.

Earlier still in the fourteenth century, it is known that the feared Welsh archers adopted the green and white colours of the leek for their uniforms, perhaps at the Battle of Crecy.

Earlier than this however, myth and legend begin to intertwine. According to one legend recorded by the English poet Michael Drayton in the early 1600’s, the leek was associated with St. David the Patron Saint of Wales who died in 589 AD. It is possible that the poet made up the story; however it tells how St. David ordered his soldiers to wear the leek on their helmets in a battle against the hated pagan Saxon invaders of Britain. The battle itself is also said to have taken place in a field full of leeks.

It is indeed likely that the Welsh association with the leek predates St. David by hundreds and possibly thousands of years, to an age when people worshipped trees, plants and other such aspects of Mother Nature. To an age before Christianity, and perhaps to the last stronghold of the Druids on the Island of Anglesey. The Druids were not only the Priests, Doctors, Poets and Minstrels of ancient Celtia, they were also the teachers who retained the sacred knowledge of ancient times.

It is in such times that the leek’s reputation as a medicine to cure a variety of illnesses would have been most appreciated and perhaps even revered. It was highly regarded as a cure for the common cold, alleviating the pains of childbirth and was a tasty, healthy ingredient in cawl, the traditional Welsh broth. It could seemingly offer protection against wounds in battle or against being struck by lightning, and was also a means of foretelling the future and for keeping away evil spirits It is also claimed that by placing a leek under a pillow at night, young maidens could see the features of their future husbands.

And so today each year on St. David’s Day the leek is worn in the cap badges of every soldier in every Welsh regiment. Outside the army however, many other Welsh folk have substituted the daffodil for the leek, perhaps because it looks more attractive and certainly smells a lot better. Interesting to note however, that one of the many Welsh names for a daffodil is Cenhinen Bedr, or Peter’s leek.

As to the relative merits of the leek and the daffodil, it is purely a matter of personal choice as to which to wear on St. David’s Day. However the authorities decided in 1984 that the British £1 coin representing the Welsh part of the United Kingdom would feature the leek on the reverse.

Proud home of the Welsh Flag

National Flag of Wales

Facts about Wales

About the Flag

The Welsh flag is one of the most recognisable in the world. It is one of only three national flags to display a mythological creature, the other two being the Snow Lion flag of Tibet and the Thunder Dragon flag of Bhutan.

It is often said that it is one of the oldest national flags in Europe, although this is almost impossible to verify. Certainly, the association of the Red Dragon with the people of Wales has existed far longer than that of the English with the Cross of St George. However, it was not made the official flag of Wales until 1959 and before then many alternatives had been in use.

How long has the Red Dragon been a symbol of Wales? The short answer is that it was probably a symbol of the Celts in Britain since the time of the Romans and probably well before the Anglo-Saxon invasion in the 5th century.

History of the Flag

The Welsh flag mixes two significant influences, namely that of the Red Dragon and the colours green and white, taken from the heraldry of the Tudor family.

The House of Tudor was a Welsh aristocratic family who seized the throne of England at the Battle of Bosworth, ending the 15th-century War of the Roses. On the 22nd of August 1485, Henry Tudor (Harri Tudur) marched into this battle carrying this version of the Red Dragon. By the end of that day, he had been crowned King Henry VII on a small hill near the village of Stoke Golding before marching with the standard proudly on display to London.

The origins of the Red Dragon as a symbol of the Celtic people of Britain and later Wales are, however, far older. The oldest historical mention of this symbol relating to the Welsh people can be found in the Historia Britonnum (History of Britain) written or compiled by the Welsh monk Nennius c. AD 830.

Reconstructing the early history of Great Britain from ancient legends he writes a story of a boy born without a father, an apparent virgin birth, who is called before the wicked King Vortigern, last of the Celtic kings of Britain. At this stage in history the Anglo-Saxons were a small invading force who had yet to claim much land in what was later to become England.

The boy reveals to the King two serpents, one white and one red, who had been hidden deep underground. They began to fight and the white serpent three times threw the red serpent down, apparently winning the battle, until finally the red one summoned his strength and drove him away.

The story is then explained by the mysterious child: “the two serpents are two dragons; the red serpent is your dragon, but the white serpent is the dragon of the people who occupy several provinces and districts of Britain, even almost from sea to sea: at length, however, our people shall rise and drive away the Saxon race from beyond the sea, whence they originally came.” (Source: http://www.vortigernstudies.org.uk/arthist/vortigernquoteshb.htm)

The fact that Nennius chose to lend credence to this story in the early 9th century demonstrates that the red dragon had likely been an emblem of the Welsh people for a long time before. There is even evidence to suggest that it was a widespread symbol of British society as early as the Roman occupation.

The Origins and Meaning of the Dragon

When the Romans were conquering much of Britain after AD43 they brought with them much of their culture and symbolism. The dragon was one of the most prominent symbols of the Roman military. Roman Legions, military units of a hundred men commanded by a Legate, were led into battle by someone carrying an eagle mounted on a pole. The legions were themselves usually sub-divided into ten smaller Cohorts and each of these would, in turn, be led into battle by a standard-bearer carrying a dragon.

This dragon was composed of a wolf’s head with a forked tongue and a serpent-like body made of fabric which would ripple out in the wind. Some accounts of Roman battles have implied that these dragons would be fitted with a sort of whistle in their mouths to screech as the soldiers charged into battle. The Romans themselves had taken this dragon primarily from the Dacians in Eastern Europe who had also used it as a battle standard, although Roman dragon mythology also betrays Greek and Iranian influences. In other words, there is no clear distinction between European and Asian dragons and the dragons on the flags of Bhutan and Wales should be considered symbolic cousins.

After centuries of extracting resources from Britain (including gold, copper and tin from mines in Wales and western England) the Romans finally abandoned the colony c. AD 410. At a time when the Roman Empire was finding it difficult to defend its widespread colonial interests it had eventually become more effort than it was worth to continue to subdue the island province of Britannia. They left behind a Romano-British society of Celts who had until then been Roman citizens and who spoke a mixture of Britonic languages and Celticised Latin. In the absence of Roman leadership a British monarchy evolved, many of whom used the dragon as a primary symbol of their monarchical power.

The lives of these Kings are recorded only in legend and the most famous of these are Uther Pendragon and his son King Arthur. Pendragon’s name is a mixture of Latin and Britonic and means “head dragon” or “chief dragon” and partly on this basis many have assumed that the battle flag of the legendary King Arthur would have been an ancestor of the Red Dragon of Wales.

As the Anglo-Saxons slowly consolidated their position in the East of Britain, and eventually established English kingdoms there, those who wished to maintain their Britonic culture inevitably had to flee. Wales was far away from the main centres of Anglo-Saxon power and partly protected from invasion by its challenging terrain, leading it to become the centre of Celtic culture in Britain. As the Britons converged on Wales they brought with them their language, which would eventually evolve into Modern Welsh, and national symbols including the dragon.

From then on the dragon had begun its second life as a symbol of the Celtic nation of Wales. As a result, it would become enshrined in Welsh literature through Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain) and the masterpiece of medieval Welsh folklore, the Mabinogion.

Finally, the association was cemented when it was taken up various Welsh kings and leaders, especially the 7th-century Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon, King of Gwynedd.

On the topic of surviving elements of Britonic culture, it is also worth noting that a dragon-like symbol has survived as an emblem of the county of Dorset in the form of the wyvern. The area has longstanding Celtic connections and indeed there have been suggestions that the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex that was once based in the area betrayed greater Brittonic influence than any of the other Kingdoms.

The idea that the dragon may have survived in multiple Celtic societies with minimal influence on one another testifies to the importance that this symbol may have had to the pre-Anglo-Saxon British.

Throughout its history, the use of dragon symbolism has been associated with war and aggression. In its association with Wales from the time of Nennius at least it has come to mean something nearer to a “never say die” attitude, indomitable in the face of cultural hegemony and ferocious in the defence of its own identity. It is a symbol that has served as an emblem of the Celtic British since before records began and whose cultural significance shows no sign of waning in the early twenty-first century.

Thus, Y Ddraig Goch itself can be said to represent the tenacity of national identity, its symbols and institutions.

14 Interesting Facts about Wales

Wales with a population of more than 3 million is a country in the UK. It is located in southwest Great Britain and has a coastline of 1,680 miles. This country is famous for its rugged coastline and mountains.

We have travelled to Wales many times and luckily, we were welcomed with good weather during most of our trips, while Wales is wetter than England with slightly less sunshine.

Wales in the UK

In this post, I share some fun facts about Wales, which helps you to learn more about the Welsh culture, language and food.

1. The flag of Wales is really cool

Wales national flag is unlike any other national flags you know. It has a big dragon on it. The dragon has been the symbol of Wales for centuries, but it was not put on the Welsh flag until 1959.

Only three countries in the world have dragons on their national flags.

2. The flag of Wales doesn’t appear in the UK flag

Wales is one of the four nations in the United Kingdom, but its flag doesn’t appear in the UK’s flag, also known as the Union Flag.

As a quick reminder, the UK flag is made up of Scotland, Northern Ireland and England’s flags but not Wales. You might ask why was the Welsh flag excluded? The reason is that when the Union Flag was created, England and Wales were already united and Wales was not a separate principality.

3. Mount Everest is named after a Welshman

I assume you all know Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, but have you ever thought about where the name might be coming from?

It was actually named after George Everest, a Welsh geographer who served as Surveyor General of India.

4. Wales has more sheep than humans

It’s hard to visit Wales and not see a flock of sheep. They are almost everywhere. There are 10 million sheep while the population of Wales is only 3 million.

5. Cardiff is the youngest capital in Europe

Cardiff, the largest city in Wales, is one of the most vibrant cities in the UK. This city became the capital in 1955 and it is the youngest capital city in Europe.

6. The village with the longest name in Europe is in Wales

Wales, after New Zealand, is home to the place with the longest name in the world.

This one: “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch”.

Yes, it is just one single name, but please don’t ask me to pronounce it. This is the name of a village in Wales and it translates to: “The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St. Tysilio of the red cave”.

7. K, Q, V and Z are missing

As you know there are 26 letters in the English alphabet, but Welsh has even more: 29. An interesting fact about the Welsh alphabet is that K, Q, V and Z are not included.

8. There are castles everywhere in Wales

Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world. There is no way to tell how many castles have been built in Wales since some of them are now ruined. But there are more than 600 castles in the country.

9. You can summit the highest peak in Wales by train

The highest peak in Wales is Snowdon at an elevation of 1,085 metres above sea level. This mountain is located in the north of Snowdonia National Park, one of the best places to visit in Wales. You can hike to the summit, but if you feel lazy, you can take a train to the top.

I highly recommend you to walk up there though, you will have amazing views across the national park.

10. The first mail-order business was started in Wales

Ordering online is a vital part of our daily lives, and it has been especially true in the past year. But did you know how the mail-order shopping industry, which is now worth billions, began?

Pryce Jones, a Welsh draper who lived in the middle of nowhere and had a little store developed the idea in 1861. He used the Post Office and the new railway links to send out catalogues and his goods to people in remote rural areas.

11. Laverbread is not actual bread

Laverbread, known as the “Welshman’s caviar” is part of Welsh traditional cuisine, which is usually served for breakfast or as a snack. If you are not familiar with Laverbread, you might think it’s some kind of bread or fish eggs, but it is actually seaweed. I personally haven’t tried it yet, but it is widely consumed in Wales.

12. Only 23% of Wales population speaks Welsh

There are two national languages in Wales: English and Welsh. According to a survey, only 23% of the entire population of Wales say that they can speak some of their native language, while only 11% are fluent in Welsh.

13. The Royal Wedding rings are made from Welsh Gold

Members of the British Royal Family have used pure Welsh gold to make their wedding rings, since 1923. The tradition was started by the Queen Mother.

Welsh gold is considered to be the rarest in the world and it can be valued up to 30 times more than standard gold.

14. Wales is home to the smallest city in the UK

St Davids, on the west coast of Wales, is the smallest city in Britain with a population of less than 2000. This city might be small but it has a lot to offer. It is home to St David Cathedral and the ruins of St Davids Bishops Palace. When you are in Wales, make sure to check this city out.

In summary, Wales is a beautiful country, if you haven’t visited yet, I highly recommend you to add it to your bucket list.

Презентация к уроку

Цель: познакомить учащихся со страноведческим материалом и лексическими единицами по теме «Символы Великобритании»

Оборудование: плакат с кроссворд, презентация «Символы Великобритании», карта Соединенного королевства, карточки со словами

Литература: «600 устных тем по английскому языку» Головчёва Г. С., лингвострановедческий справочник Томахин Г.Д., «Happy English» Т.Б. Клементьева

Ход урока

I. Начало

Орг. момент

1) создание атмосферы иноязычного общения

Good morning! Sit down! I`m glad to see you today!

Answer my questions:

1) What date is today?

2) What day of the week is it today?

3) What is the season now?

4) What is the weather like today?

II. Основная часть

А) введение нового страноведческого материала

Now let`s start our trip. Be careful!

Today we will go to Britain to know some more interesting and new information about country the language we learn. And we will stop on different station. On each station I will tell you about the country and the symbols of each country.

The first station is the United Kingdom.

Соединенное королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии занимает остров Великобритания. Когда люди говорят о Британии, они часто употребляют название «Соединенное королевство».

The official name of the country is «The United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland»

This is the flag of the UK. It is famous as UNION JACK.

Who can tell me what is it symbol?

The second station is England. The Capital of England is London.

The symbol of England is red rose.

The next station is Wales.

The capital of Wales is Cardiff.

The Forth station is Scotland.

The capital of Scotland is Edinburg.

The flag of Scotland.

Это флаг Шотландии. This is the flag of Scotlаnd.

Белый диагональный крест, крест святого Эндрю, покровителя Шотландии.

The last station is Northern Ireland.

The capital of Northern Ireland is Ireland.

Северная Ирландия. The Northern Ireland.

The symbol of Northern Ireland is a shamrock and red hand.

Б) закрепление материала

III. Магический квадрат

Now let`s do magic square!

You can see many letters. And amoung this letters you must find new words.