Cotswold sheep
Dual-purpose British sheep with lustrous long wool.
The Cotswold is a British sheep breed known for its long, lustrous wool. It takes its name from the Cotswold Hills, a limestone range spanning parts of southwestern, south-central, and western England. These are large animals, raised for both their meat and their fleece. By 2021, the breed was considered "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
The breed’s history includes a dedicated class at the 1862 Royal Show in London. The first Cotswold Sheep Society formed in 1892, publishing a flock book with records dating back to the late 1700s, but it dissolved in the 1920s. A new society with the same name was established in 1966. In 2009, the trust classified the breed as "minority," its lowest concern level; by 2021, it was one of twenty-four breeds listed as "at risk." In July 1964, a Roman-era sculpted replica of a sheep’s head was reportedly unearthed near Bibury Church in Gloucestershire, with a photo in the booklet *The Cotswold Sheep* showing a striking resemblance to modern Cotswolds. The breed was first brought to the United States in 1832 by Christopher Dunn of New York State.
Cotswolds are tall, heavy sheep. Ewes typically weigh 85–90 kg, and rams around 130 kg. Both sexes are polled (hornless). Their faces and legs are wool-free and usually white, and they have a noticeable forelock. In the United States, a black variant called the Black Cotswold is recognized as a separate breed, with its own society formed in 1990.
Farmers use Cotswolds for both wool and meat. Lambs are often slaughtered at about four months old, when they weigh 18–22 kg. The fleece is glossy, weighing between 5.5 and 10 kg, with a staple length of roughly 15–20 cm and a Bradford Count of 44s–48s.
- breed_type
- Lustre longwool domestic sheep
- origin
- Cotswold range, England
- weight_ewe
- 85–90 kg
- weight_ram
- ~130 kg
- wool_staple_length
- 15–20 cm
- wool_Bradford_Count
- 44s–48s
- conservation_status_2021
- At risk
Lore & Background
A separate show class for Cotswold stock was created at the Royal Show of 1862 in London. The Cotswold Sheep Society was established in 1892 and published a flock book with entries going back to the late eighteenth century; this society became defunct in the 1920s. A new society with the same name was formed in 1966.
In July 1964, a Roman-sculpted replica of a sheep's head was unearthed near Bibury Church in Gloucestershire, England. A photo of this sculpture appears in the booklet The Cotswold Sheep, and its resemblance to modern Cotswold sheep is described as striking. Stock was introduced to the United States by Christopher Dunn of New York State in 1832.
Reader's Guide
The Cotswold sheep holds significance as a rare, dual-purpose breed that has been part of British agriculture for centuries. Its lustrous long wool, with a staple length of 15–20 cm and Bradford Count of 44s–48s, has been valued for textile use, while its meat production—lambs slaughtered at about four months weighing 18–22 kg—provides a second economic purpose. The breed's conservation status, moving from 'minority' in 2009 to 'at risk' in 2021, highlights ongoing concerns about genetic diversity in livestock. The discovery of a Roman-era sheep sculpture near Bibury Church suggests a long historical connection between the breed and the Cotswold region. The breed's introduction to the United States in 1832 and the later recognition of a black variant as a separate breed in the US demonstrate its international reach. The Cotswold Sheep Society, re-established in 1966, continues to maintain the flock book and promote the breed.
Did You Know?
- The Cotswold is named for the Cotswold range of limestone hills in England.
- A Roman-sculpted replica of a sheep's head unearthed near Bibury Church in 1964 strikingly resembles modern Cotswold sheep.
- Stock was introduced to the United States by Christopher Dunn of New York State in 1832.
- A black variant, the Black Cotswold, is recognised as a separate breed in the United States, with a breed society formed in 1990.
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