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England: The Anthony Roll

Part 3 of 3

Last modified: 2013-05-07 by rob raeside
Keywords: anthony roll | henry viii | tudor flags |
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See also:

The Anthony Roll - Part 3
An illustrated survey of Henry VIII's Navy

This page display flags shown on the Anthony Roll as documented by Knighton & Loades (2000).  See the first page in the series for an introduction to this document.

The Remaining Flags

[Flags on the Anthony Roll] by Martin Grieve

One fleur-de-lis impaled one fleur-de-lis - occurs twice.

[Flags on the Anthony Roll] reverse by Martin Grieve

Reverse: One fleur-de-lis impaled blue square. Occurs once. Could be a faded double fleur-de-lis.

[Flags on the Anthony Roll] reverse by Martin Grieve

Reverse: One fleur-de-lis impaled square divided vertically white/green. Occurs once.

[Flags on the Anthony Roll] reverse by Martin Grieve

Reverse Initials R H on blue. Occurs once.

[Flags on the Anthony Roll] reverse by Martin Grieve

Reverse White impaled Green. Occurs twice.

[Flags on the Anthony Roll] reverse by Martin Grieve

Reverse White impaled Green bearing circular yellow device in the centre. Occurs once.
David Prothero, 22 July 2004

Deck Flags

Each ship has between six and fourteen "deck flags", arranged along its whole length from stem to stern in, apparently, no particular order. Some appear to be at the edge of the deck, while others seem to be on the centre line. They were not specifically naval flags, but were also carried on land. All are square flags, except on the first three ships and the galley, which have oblong flags.

A square flag of St George is the most common flag and appears 180 times. In another 21 instances it occurs with a yellow circle at the intersection of the arms of the cross (see page 1 of this series) on ships 12 to 19.
David Prothero, 22 July 2004

Ensigns

None of the flags appear to be ensigns as such, but the aftermost flag on every ship is either the Royal Standard or the flag of St George, or incorporates one or the other, into a larger flag. On the more important ships, down to the 31st, it is the Royal Standard, on the remainder the flag of St George. An exception, perhaps a mistake, is the first ship that does not have a Royal Standard. It has a white and green striped flag  at the stern.

Apart from ships 31 to 36 and also 46, all ships with square flags, which have a masthead flag, have a Royal Standard at the stern.
David Prothero, 22 July 2004

Jacks

The very first ship, The Harry Grace a Dieu, has a small triangular flag of St George at the end of the bow-sprit. The vertical arm of the cross is quite near the hoist and not in the centre of the horizontal arm. The first of the row-barges, apparently their flag-ship, has a similar triangular flag at the end of its beak.

Masthead Flags

Thirty-five of the ships have masthead flags. A square flag of St George is the most common flag and appears 41 times. On six ships between 9 and 19, where it is a fore masthead flag, it has a yellow circle at the intersection of the arms of the cross as shown here. The first three ships have four masts and oblong masthead flags.
Only The Harry Grace a Dieu has a flag at the main masthead; a Royal Standard impaled St George. The same flag is flown from the fore masthead of the second ship, The Mary Rose. Fore masthead flags on the other two ships are the 'off-set St George/double St George'.

Flags on the two mizzen masts are St George impaled White on The Harry, and St George impaled Green on the other two ships. The only masthead flags that are not also deck-flags are the 'double St George' and the Royal Standard impaled St George.

Ships 4 to 11 have St George at the fore mast, inner and outer mizzens; on ship 9 the fore mast St George has a central yellow circle as shown here. The next twenty-two ships have St George at the fore, in five cases, between 13 and 19, with a central yellow circle. The first pinnace and the first row-barge have St George at the main masthead.
David Prothero, 22 July 2004

The Ships

1-3. Appear to be flagships. Deck and masthead flags are oblong.
Harry Grace a Dieu, Mary Rose, Peter.

30. A galley. Henry's favourite ship. Oblong deck flags. No masthead flag.
Galie Subtille.

4-11. The next eight are large ships. They have three masthead flags, and about twelve deck flags of which two are royal standards, and two are square blue flags bearing three fleur-de-lis.
Matthew, Greate Barcke, Jhesus of Lubeke, Pawncey, Murrian, Struse, Mary Hambrough, Christoffer of Breame.

12-19. The next eight are smaller ships. They have a fore masthead flag and about ten deck flags which include a blue flag bearing a single fleur-de-lis and/or an HR monogram. With the exception of one masthead flag on one of the larger ships, this is the only group of ships that has flags of St George with a yellow circle at the intersection of the arms of the cross. All have at least one deck flag of this type and on five ships it is also the masthead flag.
Trynite Harry, Smaell Barck, Swypstake, Mynnyon, Lartyque, Mary Thomas, Hoye Barcke, George.

21-31. The next ten are four-masted galleasses. They have a fore masthead flag and about twelve deck flags of which one, or in three cases, two, are royal standards. The other deck flags are flags of St George or green and white striped flags.
Graunde Masterys, Anne Gallante, Harte, Antelop, Tegar, Bulle, Salamander, Unicorne, Swallowe, Newe Barcke.

32-35. The next four are three-masted galleasses. They have a fore masthead flag and eight or nine deck flags of which about half are the flag of St George and half a green and white striped flag.
Graye Hounde, Jennet, Lyon, Dragon.

20 and 36-45. Eleven pinnaces.
Mary Jamys, Phawcon, Sacar, Hynde, Roo, Phenyx, Marlion, Lesse Pennas, Bryggendyn, Hare, Trego Ronnyger.

46 - 58. Thirteen row-barges.
Double Rose, Flower deluce, Portquillice, Harpe, Clowde in the Sonne, Rose in the Sonne, Hawthorne, Three Ostrydge Fethers, Fawcon in the Fetterlock, Mayden Hede, Rose Slype, Jyllyver Flowre, Sonne.

The pinnaces and row-barges each have about seven deck flags, alternating St George and green and white striped flags. None have masthead flags except the first pinnace and the first row-barge which have St George at the main.

David Prothero, 23 July 2004

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