Flag of Essex

The flag of Essex features three notched, white Saxon seaxes (single-edged knives or cutlasses for the uninitiated) with gold hilts arranged vertically on a plain red background. Flag this (hehe) in the 'badass' subsection of the collection.

These three seaxes serve as a visual representation of the county's Anglo-Saxon heritage, honoring the ancient Kingdom of the "East Saxons," from which the name "Essex" originates. Although the symbol itself is ancient, its use as a county emblem is documented as far back as the early 17th century.