New gateway signs are going up on most roads into East Lothian identifying the county as the birthplace of Scotland's national flag, the St. Andrew's Cross or Saltire.

Designed to raise the county's profile, especially during Homecoming 2009, the new logo aims to capitalise on East Lothian's unique claim to the national flag while building on an already positive image - that of the graceful peregrine falcon which is synonymous with the area.

The village of Athelstaneford has long been recognised as the traditional birthplace of Scotland's national flag and today the story is told at the Flag Centre near the village church.

The new logo with Saltire, falcon and the date of the battle, extends a 'Welcome to East Lothian Birthplace of Scotland's Flag'. The logo was designed by the Council's in-house design team of Catriona McGuffog and Louise Stewart to be used on a wide variety of marketing materials.

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Describing the concept behind the logo, the design team said: "The interaction between the falcon and the Saltire creates rhythm, with the mirrored forms reflecting the land and sea.

"The uplifting image of the peregrine falcon in flight evokes an emotional response, capturing the spirit of the traditional story of the white cross on a blue sky. The Inclusion of the date of the battle gives an historical dimension to the logo and emphasises the long 1200-year pedigree of the nation's flag."

In a related initiative, the Scottish Flag Trust is marking East Lothian's contribution to Homecoming year by sending to the United States a special shipment of Saltires that have been flown at Athelstaneford. This is a joint initiative between the Trust and the Clan Campbell Society of North America.

Twenty flags were individually hoisted and flown briefly at the main flagpole at the Saltire Memorial in Athelstaneford Churchyard on the afternoon of Sunday 25 January. This date is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, making these flags very special. Each flag has a special logo certifying it has been flown at Athelstaneford. The flags are 5ft x 4ft and of a blue endorsed in the Scottish Flag Code.

Tradition relates that near Athelstaneford in 832 AD an army of Picts and Scots, hard pressed by invading Anglo-Saxons, drew inspiration when clouds on a blue sky formed a white Saltire, the Cross of St. Andrew. The Pictish leader Angus took heart from this auspicious sign and vowed that if his warriors carried the day, St. Andrew's Cross would become the nation's flag. They did, and today the Saltire, the oldest national flag in Europe, flies in perpetuity at the village, to commemorate the battle fought there 1,200 years ago.

(GK/JM)