Local school designs new flag for Severndroog Castle

Severndroog Castle in the Royal Borough of Greenwich has proudly raised a new flag atop its historic tower, designed by the talented children of Christ Church Primary School in Shooters Hill.

In autumn 2025, the castle invited its young neighbours to participate in a creative project celebrating local heritage. Every child in the school visited Severndroog Castle to learn about its history, and local artist Himani Weir delivered an inspiring assembly on the art of flag design.

A competition ran over half-term, resulting in a collection of colourful, joyful designs filled with meaning. The children’s artwork reflects themes of nature, the local environment, the castle’s special location on Shooters Hill, its role in the community, and even the famous Severndroog pineapple.

One of these imaginative designs was selected and transformed into a new flag, which now flies proudly from the roof of Severndroog Castle. The new flag was raised at an outdoor ceremony with Christ Church School, presided over by Cllr Linda Bird, Mayor of Greenwich. The winning design is the Castle at the centre of a big heart and was the work of three talented boys in Year 3 at Christ Church Primary School: Kian, Guy and Austin.

Around 30 shortlisted designs by children from Christ Church School will now be exhibited at Eltham Library in the Royal Borough of Greenwich thanks to the support of Miriam Storey from Greenwich Libraries.

Mr Tony Nickson, Chair of Trustees at Severndroog Castle, said:

“All of us at Severndroog are immensely proud to be flying our brilliant new flag at the Castle. It really is a symbol of Severndroog’s place in the local community that it was designed for us with such care and creativity by children from Christ Church Primary School, and we are very grateful to the teachers who made this happen. Well done to the pupils of Christ Church School. I hope everyone out for a walk in Castle Wood will take a moment to look up and enjoy it.”

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Gosia Martinez, curriculum lead at Christ Church Primary said:

“The flag design project was a wonderful success, giving children the chance to create a flag that represents Severndroog, its rich history, and its importance to the community. It was inspiring to see how proudly and thoughtfully the children of Christ Church Primary engaged with the story of Severndroog, celebrating the diversity, creativity, and shared identity of our local area. This project truly became a celebration of community spirit and pride. Congratulations to Kian, Guy and Austin. Well done to all children who participated for their creativity and enthusiasm.“

The new flag will be flying regularly from the castle roof. Visitors are encouraged to look up on their next trip to Severndroog Castle and spot the new flag waving against the skyline of Shooters Hill.