SHEEP BREEDS

In this section we have included some pictures and brief information about each of
the sheep breeds whose fibres we sell. We hope you find it interesting. If you would
like to know more about other British sheep breeds take a look at the National Sheep
Association site.

Black Welsh Mountain

(Fibres available here)

This coloured sheep is an ancient breed and

was described in Welsh writings from the
middle ages. They are relatively small black
sheep with dense fleeces and no wool on
their face or legs below their knees. The
males have horns. Flocks are concentrated
in Wales with smaller flocks throughout the
UK.

Image provided by kind permission of the

Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Breeders'
Association.

Bluefaced Leicester
(Fibres available here)

The Bluefaced Leicester originated near

Hexham in Northumberland in the early part
of the 1900s. It is a large sheep which takes
its name from the characteristic blue skin on
the head which shows through the white
hair. Bluefaced Leicester rams are
commonly bred with ewes from other breeds
to produce commercial crossbred ewes
known as mules. Flocks are located
throughout the UK.

Image provided by kind permission of the

Bluefaced Leicester Sheepbreeders
Association.
Cheviot
(Fibres available here)

There are two distinct breeds of Cheviot

sheep: the South Country Cheviot
originating from the Scottish borders, and
the North Country Cheviot which was
developed when 500 sheep were moved to
North West Scotland over 200 years ago.
Both are large rugged hill sheep.

Corriedale
(Fibres available here)

The Corriedale was simultaneously evolved

in both Australia and New Zealand about
1874 by cross breeding Merino and Lincoln
sheep with the aim of creating a breed that
would thrive in lower rainfall areas.
Nowadays the breed is farmed in Australia,
New Zealand, USA and South America.

Image supplied by kind permission of the

Australian Corriedale Association. It shows
a two year old ram from the Sweetfield stud
in Victoria, Supreme Champion Corriedale
Exhibit at the 2007 Australian Sheep and
Wool Show.

Herdwick
(Fibres available here)

The name Herdwick comes from a Norse

word meaning sheep pasture. The origin of
the breed itself is unknown, but the most
common theory is that the ancestors of
Herdwick sheep were introduced by early
Norse settlers. Herdwick are very hardy
sheep which can survive on the high fells.
Flocks today are still concentrated in the
Lake District.

Image provided by Dorothy Wilkinson,

Herdwick Sheep Breeders' Association. The
sheep have traditional red backs, now used
for making the sheep more attractive when
they are shown but historically believed to
help the farmers determine where their tups
(rams) were when they were on the fells.
Iron ore dust was originally used but it can
now be purchased as Herdwick red in tubs.

Jacob
(Fibres available here)

The Jacob sheep takes its name from the

story told in the Old Testament Book of
Genesis of how Jacob became a selective
breeder of pied sheep, but are probably of
Norse origin. They are mainly white with
black patches and both sexes have large
horns - either two or four. There are Jacob
flocks throughout the UK.

Breeders Association

Merino
(Fibres available here)

The Merino is the most economically

influential breed of sheep in the world,
prized for its wool. Originally bred in Spain
they are now located all over the world with
particular concentrations in Australia,
S.Africa and USA.

Shetland
(Fibres available here)

Shetland sheep are an ancient breed, said

to have been brought to the Shetland
Islands by Vikings in the 8th Century.
Shetland are small sheep which may have
fleece in a variety of different colours.

Image of Heather and Flora provided by

kind permission of the Shetland Sheep
Society.

Swaledale
(Fibres available here)

Swaledales are our "local" breed and are

common throughout northern England. They
probably originated from the genetic group
of horned sheep. They are a bold, hardy
sheep well suited to the hardships of
exposed and high lying ground.

The ewes have proved to be most excellent

lamb rearers, with ideal mothering abilities
in all conditions. The Swaledale can now be
found in both the hills and lowlands of
Britain, producing both pure bred and the
well known North of England Mule (a Blue
Faced Leicester cross).

Image provided by kind permission of the

Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association.

Teeswater
(Fibres available here)

Teeswater sheep, indigenous as their name

implies to Teesdale in County Durham, have
been bred by farmers in that area for almost
two hundred years.They are now classified
as Endangered by the Rare Breeds Survival
Trust.

Image by kind permission of Andrew Fisher.

Teeswater Sheep Breeders Association

 Wensleydale
(Fibres available here)

The breed originated in North Yorkshire

early in the 19th Century from a cross
between a long since extinct local longwool
breed from the region of the River Tees and
an outstanding Dishley Leicester ram
named "Bluecap". The fleece of this
coloured sheep is widely agreed to be the
finest and most valuable lustre longwool in
the world. They are now classified as At
Risk by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Image provided by kind permission of Sheila

Leech, Wensleydale Longwool Sheep
Breeders' Association.

Adelaide Walker © 2009

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