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There are more than 60 different breeds of sheep in Britain; more than in any other country.
Their wool is very different, often depending on where they live, on hills or lower land. Some are naturally coloured.
The breeds are divided into groups:
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Mountain Type: Swaledale
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A popular breed found in most counties of Northern England.
Origin: Developed from a breed found in Swaledale in Yorkshire, during the Middle Ages.
Appearance: Dark upper face with grey nose. Both male and female have horns.
Fleece weight: 1.5-3 kg.
Staple length: 10-20cm.
Micron: 35+
Use of wool: Excellent for carpets and upholstery fabrics. The finer undercoat is used in its natural colour for warm outdoor knitwear.
A bold and hardy sheep, the Swaledale, with its rugged, protective fleece and distinctive grey muzzle, is a familiar sight on the hills and moorlands of northern England. With 'a glad eye and a good leg', a Swaledale is an active and alert sheep, which makes excellent use of the herbage available. Its thick, resilient fleece is particularly used in carpets, which will wear well and maintain their appearance. Well able to produce and mother lambs on the hill, the ewe is very often crossed with a Bluefaced Leicester to produce the popular North of England Mule.
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Hill Type: Cheviot
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The Cheviot produces almost 18% of Scotland's wool. Originally found mainly on Cheviot Hills, between Northumberland and Scotland.
Origin: Cheviot Hills
Appearance: White face surrounded by ruff of dense white wool.
Fleece weight: 2-2.5 kg.
Staple length: 8-10 cm.
Micron: 30-33.
Use of wool: Coarser types for carpets, rugs, blankets, and some finer wool for heavier clothing fabrics and knitwear.
A white-faced hill sheep, with a distinctive 'ruff' behind the ears, the Cheviot has been run in the Scottish Borders for many years and exported round the world. It is now found increasingly in other parts of upland Britain. Its crisp, white, lustrous wool will hold and reflect dye colouring well, and give 'handle' and body to cloth. It has long been recognised by Scottish cloth manufacturers, who use it most for rugged country clothing. When blended with finer wools, it makes elegant jacketing fabrics.
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Cross: Mule
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Found throughout Britain.
Origin: Bluefaced Leicester ram.
Appearance: Mottled wool-less face and legs. Without horns.
Fleece weight: 2.5-3.5 kg.
Staple length: 10-25 cm.
Micron: 29-33.
Use of wool: Ideal for quality carpet production, while finer fleeces can be used in knitwear.
The Mule, bred from a Bluefaced Leicester ram put to a mountain breed ewe, such as a Swaledale ewe, (North Country Mule) Welsh Mountain (Welsh Mule), or Blackface (Greyface), is a very popular commercial crossbred sheep.
The influence of the finer, lustrous type of wool on the bulky, resilient fibre of the hill breeds, produces wool which is very versatile. It is ideal for quality carpet production, while finer fleece can be used in knitwear.
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Medium: Romney
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Found particularly in South East England and in most sheep farming countries.
Origin: Thought to have developed on the Romney Marsh area of South East England in the 13th Century.
Appearance: White broad face with black nostrils. Some wool on the top of its head. Hornless.
Fleece weight: 3-4.5 kg.
Staple length: 10-20 cm.
Micron: 31-34.
Use of wool: It's a popular choice for knitwear, yarn, and cloth.
This hardy sheep, now found elsewhere in Britain and overseas, probably developed its tough constitution from the bleak climate and terrain of Romney Marsh. Its wool is white, semi-lustrous and, thanks to its versatility, is a popular choice for knitwear, yarn, and cloth.
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Fine: Suffolk
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Popular in most areas, frequently used as a breeding sheep.
Origin: Developed from Medieval Times by crossing black-faced Norfolk Horn ewes with Southdown rams.
Appearance: Long bodied with black face and legs. Hornless.
Fleece weight: 2.5-3 kg.
Staple length: 5-10 cm.
Micron: 31-34
Use of wool: Used mainly for knitting yarn, tweed, flannel and felt cloth.
The Suffolk was first recognised as a pure breed around two hundred years ago. It is now the most commonly used sire for crossbred lambs, and is found widely in the UK. Its dense, short fibred wool (finer than hill types), has always been valued for yarns used in knitwear and fabrics. Suffolk and Norfolk were both important centres for cloth manufacture in medieval times. It is now also in demand for bedding, particularly for the Japanese futon market.
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Lustre Type: Wensleydale
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Mostly found in Northern England.
Origin: The Yorkshire Dales.
Appearance: Long-stapled, heavy tightly curled fleece with a natural gloss or sheen. No wool on face or below knees.
Fleece weight: 2-2.5 kg
Staple length: 8-10 cm
Micron: 30-33
Use of wool: Coarser types for carpets, rugs, blankets and some finer wool for heavier clothing fabrics and knitwear.
The 'Rastafarian' of the sheep breeds, the Wensleydale is characterised by its long lustrous and curly fleece. It is amongst the finest and most valuable in the British clip. It is used, normally blended with other shorter fibred wools, for its silky handle and appearance. The breed was developed in North Yorkshire in the 19th century, to provide rams for crossing onto hill breeds. The Wensleydale is probably the direct descendant of an extinct, long wool breed introduced into the Wensleydale valley in the late 18th century. A large sheep, recognised for its longevity, it is not numerous in Britain, but British stock have provided the basis of small flocks in other parts of Europe and the USA.
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Naturally Coloured Type: Jacob
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Popular breed found in most counties of Northern England.
Origin: Developed from a breed found in Swaledale in Yorkshire during the Middle Ages.
Appearance: Dark upper face with grey nose. Both male and female have horns.
Fleece weight: 1.5-3 kg
Staple length: 10-20cm
Micron: 35+
Use of wool: Excellent for carpets and upholstery fabrics. Its finer undercoat is used in its natural colour for warm outdoor knitwear.
A distinguished sheep, either two or four horned in both sexes, with a naturally coloured fleece. The Jacob, some believe, is closely related to a Middle Eastern breed of Biblical times. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century as a fashionable and attractive parkland breed. The closure of many country estates threatened the future of the breed during the 1960's. Today, because of its appearance and easy management, it is now kept more widely throughout the UK.
A Jacob fleece has well defined patches of darker coloured wool, which can range in shades from cream and brown, through to almost black. No two fleeces are the exactly the same. Because the wool can be used undyed to create attractive, distinctive effects, it has 'niche market' appeal, and is used in a wide range of textiles.
View our full range of quality British knitwear:- Product List
This information and images courtesy of the British Wool Marketing Board
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