Dairy
Wensleydale Sheep
Wensleydale Sheep revives the early Dales tradition of ewe’s-milk cheese that preceded the now-dominant cow’s-milk Wensleydale. The paste stays moist and crumbly yet richer and sweeter than cow versions, with a gentle sheep tang, honeyed lactic notes, and a slightly oilier mouthfeel. Makers press and age for weeks to months, aiming for clean crumble without dryness. Eat with fruitcake, fresh apples, or heather honey; crumble into salads; avoid heavy melting applications. Specialty and farmhouse producers—not mass creamery cow lines—supply true sheep Wensleydale. Serve cool-room warm so the ewe richness reads clearly beside the classic mild Dales acidity.
Also known as: Sheep's milk Wensleydale
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History
Cistercian monks in the Yorkshire Dales are associated with early sheep-milk cheese making in Wensleydale.
Farmhouse production gradually shifted toward cow’s milk while memory of sheep Wensleydale persisted.
Artisan revivalists reintroduced ewe’s-milk Wensleydale-style cheeses for specialty British boards.