Badgerface Welsh
Origin: Wales, Great Britain
Class: Horned and polled, long tailed. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Two colour varieties exist, the Torddu and Torwen. The Torddu is the most commonly seen. Torddu means black belly, Torwen means white belly.
- Torddu:- Legs black with a tan stripe, Ears are small and dark inside, a black stripe should run from under the jaw, under the body, across the belly to the end of the tail. Face colour can be white, grey or tan and should have typical black badger striping. The majority of the fleece is white.
- Torwen:- The majority of the fleece is black or dark brown, legs are tan with a black stripe, the belly and underside of the tail is white. Black/dark brown face with white markings.
Parentage: Selected from White Welsh Mountain sheep
Breed society:
The Badger Face Welsh Mountain Sheep Society
Secretary: Lucy Levinge
Tel: 01981 550685
Email:
www.badgerfacesheep.co.uk
Balwen
Origin: Tywi Valley, Wales, Great Britain
Class: Horned rams, polled ewes, long tailed. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Balwen is Welsh for white blaze. The body is black, brown or dark grey with a white blaze on the face. All four feet are white. Half to 2/3rds of the tail is white.
Parentage: Unknown
Breed society:
Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep Society
Secretary: Mrs Anne Groucott
Tel: 01495 247869
Email:
www.balwensheepsociety.com, www.bcsba.org.uk
Beulah
Origin: Hills of Eppynt, Llanafan, Abergwesyn and Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, Great Britain
Class: Horned and polled rams, polled ewes. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Black and white speckled face and legs. White fleece.
Parentage:
Breed society:
Beulah Speckled Face Sheep Society
Secretary: Dennis Jones
Tel: 01982 553726
Email:
www.beulahsheep.co.uk
Blackface
Origin: Northern England, border counties and southern Scotland
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White fleece, black or black and white face and legs.
Parentage: Unknown
Breed society:
Blackface Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Aileen McFadzean
Tel: 01738 634018
Email: aileen@scottish-blackface.co.uk
www.scottish-blackface.co.uk
Black Welsh Mountain
Origin: Wales, Great Britain
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: All Black
Parentage: Unknown, Ancient breed
Breed society:
Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Breeders’ Association
Secretary: Mrs Lesley Lewin
Tel: 01409 241579
Email: enquiries@blackwelshmountain.org.uk
www.blackwelshmountain.org.uk
Bluefaced Leicester
Origin: Leicestershire, England, Great Britain
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: Head dark blue with white hairs. Body and legs are white
Parentage:
Breed society:
Bluefaced Leicesters Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Helen Carr
Tel: 01228 598022
Email: info@blueleicester.co.uk
www.blueleicester.co.uk
Border Leicester
Origin: Leicestershire, England, Great Britain
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: All white
Parentage: Old Lincolnshire and Leicestershire breeds to create the Dishley Leicester then further selection.
Breed society:
Border Leicester Sheep Breeders
Secretary: Eleanor Stokeld
Tel: 07860 363742
Email: borderleicester@btconnect.com
www.borderleicester.com
Boreray
Origin: Hirta the main island of St Kilda, Western Isles, Scotland, Great Britain
Class: Primitive breed. Horned, short tailed, natural moulters. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Creamy white body with black, tan or speckled facial and leg markings.
Parentage: Scottish Tan Face, Hebridean.
Breed society:
Soay and Boreray Society
Secretary: Vicki Beesley
Tel:
Email: breedsecretary.vb@soaysheep.org
www.soaysheep.org
Brecknock Hill
Origin: Brecknockshire, Wales, Great Britain.
Class: Rams occasionally horned, ewes are polled. Hill and Mountain sheep.
Colour: White body, face and legs
Parentage: Cheviot
Breed society:
Brecknock Hill Cheviot Society
Secretary: Mr Peter Francis
Tel: 01874 622488
Email: info@brecknockhillcheviotsheep.co.uk
www.brecknockhillcheviotsheep.co.uk
Castlemilk Moorit
Origin: Castlemilk Estate, Dumfriesshire, South West Scotland
Class: Primitive breed. Horned. Lowland sheep
Colour: Light brown/Moorit coloured fleece with white on the belly, inside of the legs, knees, rump, lower jaw and below the eye.
Parentage: Manx Loghtan, Moorit Shetland, Wild Mouflon.
Breed society:
Castlemilk Moorit Sheep Society
Secretary: Sheila Cooper
Tel: 01676 535242
Email: castlemilkmoorit@hotmail.co.uk
www.castlemilkmoorit.co.uk
Cheviot
Origin: Cheviot Hills, border counties of England and Scotland.
Class: Polled ewes, horned rams. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: All white
Parentage: Ancient sheep of the Cheviot hills and improvement from imports.
Cheviot Sheep Society
Breed society:
Cheviot Sheep Society
Secretary: Isobel McVittie
Tel: 01387 380222
Email: info@cheviotsheep.org
www.cheviotsheep.org
Clun Forest
Origin: Clun, Shropshire and surrounding areas, England.
Class: Polled, Lowland and hill sheep
Colour: White fleece with dark-brown head and legs.
Parentage: Original ancient sheep of Shropshire, Longmynd, Radnor and Shropshire.
Breed society:
Clun Forest Sheep Breeders Society
Secretary: Davina Stanhope
Tel: 01952 740731
Email: davina@stanhope1.orangehome.co.uk
www.clunforestsheep.co.uk
Cotswold
Origin: Gloucestershire, England
Class: Polled, long wool, Lowland sheep
Colour: Golden fleece, white face and legs.
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown parentage
Breed society:
The Cotswold Sheep Society
Secretary:
Tel: 01285 851197
Email: info@cotswoldsheepsociety.co.uk
www.cotswoldsheep.org.uk
Dalesbred
Origin: Yorkshire, England
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Black face with distinctive white marks either side of the nose, legs have black and white markings. White fleece.
Parentage:
Breed society:
Dalesbred Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Mrs J Bradley
Tel: 01729 822228
Derbyshire Gritstone
Origin: Goyt Valley, Peak District, Derbyshire, England
Class: Polled. Lowland, Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White fleece, black face with white markings and white legs with black markings.
Parentage: Ancient breed carefully selected over many centuries.
Breed society:
The Derbyshire Gritstone Sheep Breeders Society
Secretary: Mrs Susan Coppack
Tel: 01706 228520
Email: info@pmcoppack.com
www.derbyshiregritstone.org.uk
Devon and Cornwall Longwool
Origin: Devon and Cornwall, England
Class: Polled, long wool. Lowland sheep
Colour: White face and fleece
Parentage:
Breed society:
Devon and Cornwall Longwool Flock Book Association
Secretary: Mr M Britton
Tel: 01884 266201
Devon Closewool
Origin: Exmoor, Devon, England
Class: Polled, Lowland sheep
Colour: All white
Parentage: Unknown
Breed society:
The Devon Closewool Sheep Breeders Society
Secretary: Ron Smith
Tel: 01598 760 359
Email: ron@holtomandthomas.co.uk
www.devonclosewool.co.uk
Dorset Down
Origin: Dorset, England
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: White fleece, black face
Parentage: Unknown
Breed society:
The Dorset Down Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Carolyn Opie
Tel: 01579 320273
Email: secretary@dorsetdownsheep.org.uk
www.dorsetdownsheep.org.uk
Dorset Horn
Origin: England. The Poll Dorset was developed in Australia from Dorset Horn
Class: Horned. Lowland sheep
Colour: All white.
Parentage: Unknown
Breed society:
Dorset Horn and Poll Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary:
Tel: 01305 262126
Email: mail@dorsetsheep.org
www.dorsetsheep.org
Exmoor Horn
Origin: Exmoor, Devon, England
Class: Horned. Lowland sheep
Colour: All white
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown parentage.
Breed society:
Exmoor Horn Sheep Breeders Society
Secretary: Mrs Gina Rawle
Tel: 01643 831593
Email: info@exmoorhornbreeders.co.uk
www.exmoorhornbreeders.co.uk
Greyface Dartmoor
Origin: Dartmoor, Devon, England
Class: Polled, Lustre long wool. Lowland sheep
Colour: White face with black/grey spotting or mottling around the nose. White legs with black or grey mottling about black feet.
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown parentage.
Breed society:
Dartmoor Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary:
Tel:
Email: info@greyface-dartmoor.org.uk
www.greyface-dartmoor.org.uk
Hampshire Down
Origin: Southern England
Class: Polled, Lowland sheep
Colour: Face and ears are dark brown, white fleeced
Parentage: Wiltshire Horn, Berkshire Knot, Southdown.
Breed society:
Hampshire Down Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Mr Richard Davis
Tel: 01494 488388
Email: Richard@rickyard.plus.com
www.hampshiredownsociety.org.uk
Hebridean
Origin: Western Isles of Scotland
Class: Horned, primitive, short tailed
Colour: Black fleece, face and legs. Hill and Mountain sheep
Parentage: Likely to be descended from sheep imported by the Vikings. The Hebridean is an ancient breed that has evolved through natural selection although the recessive black colour has been selected by man.
Breed society:
Hebridean Sheep Society
Secretary:
Tel: 01908 611092
Email: info@hebrideansheep.org.uk
www.hebrideansheep.org.uk
Herdwick
Origin: Lake District, Cumbria
Class: Horned rams, polled ewes. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Head and legs are ‘Hoar-frosted’ (white) coloured, Blue-grey fleece.
Parentage:
Breed society:
Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Amanda Carson
Tel: 01946 729346
Email: amanda@herdwick-sheep.com
www.herdwick-sheep.com
Hill Radnor
Origin: Border counties of Wales and England, from Powys to Herefordshire
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White fleece, tan legs and face
Parentage: Unknown
Breed society:
Hill Radnor Flock Book Society
Secretary: Mr John Lewis
Tel: 01874 623200
Email: flockbook@montague-harris.co.uk
www.hillradnor.co.uk
Jacob
Breed society:
Jacob Sheep Society
Secretary: Mrs L Smith
Tel: 01926 843434
Email: secretary@jacobsheep.org.uk
www.jacobsheepsociety.co.uk
Kerry Hill
Origin: Kerry Hills, Montgomeryshire, Wales
Class: Polled. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Black nose, sharp black and white markings on head and legs, white fleece.
Parentage:
Breed society:
Kerry Hill Flock Book Society
Secretary: Mrs P Chilman
Tel: 01544 267353
Email: kerryhillsheep@excite.co.uk
www.kerryhillsheep.net
Leicester Longwool
Origin: Dishley, Loughborough, Leicestershire, England.
Class: Polled, long wool. Lowland sheep
Colour: White faced, white fleece
Parentage: Original unimproved Leicester breed from Leicestershire and other midland counties such as Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire
Breed society:
The Leicester Longwool Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Mrs Sue Hatton
Tel: 01664 840642
Email: whitelodgefrisby@aol.com
www.leicesterlongwoolsheepassociation.co.uk
Lincoln Longwool
Origin: Dishley, Loughborough, Leicestershire, England
Class: Polled, long wool. Lowland sheep
Colour: White faced, white fleece
Parentage: Old Lincoln breed and Dishley Leicester (Leicester Longwool)
Breed society:
Lincoln Longwool Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Ruth Mawer
Tel: 01522 568660
Email: lincolnlongwool@yahoo.co.uk
www.lincolnlongwools.co.uk
Llandovery Whiteface Hill
Origin:
Class: Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour:
Parentage:
Breed society:
Secretary:
Tel:
Email:
Llanwenog
Origin: Teifi Valley, West Wales
Class: Polled. Semi-Lowland/hill sheep
Colour: Black faced, black ears and legs, white fleece.
Parentage: Llanllwni (extinct, horned, blackface sheep breed native to the Llanwenogs place of origin) and the Shropshire Down
Breed society:
Llanwenog Sheep Society
Secretary: M Green
Tel: 01570 423135
Email: llanwenogsheep@hotmail.com
www.llanwenog-sheep.co.uk
Lleyn
Origin: Gwynedd, North Wales
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: Face and legs are warm white, ears are black spotted, white fleece.
Parentage: Roscommon (Irish breed derived from indigenous Irish sheep and Dishley Leicesters) and Welsh breeds.
Breed society:
Lleyn Sheep Society
Secretary: Gwenda Roberts
Tel: 01758 730366
Email: office@lleynsheep.com
www.lleynsheep.com
Lonk
Origin: Pennines of Yorkshire and Lancashire, England
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Black and white marked face and legs, white fleece
Parentage:
Breed society:
Lonk Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Mrs J Shorrock
Tel: 01282 433047
Manx Loaghtan
Origin: Isle of Man, England
Class: Horned, primitive, short-tailed breed, Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Brown face, legs and fleece
Parentage: Ancient breed derived from primitive North European breeds.
Breed society:
Manx Loaghtan Breeders Group
Secretary: Carol Kempson
Tel: 01452 790309
Email: kempsoncannons@aol.com
www.manxloaghtansheep.org
Norfolk Horn
Origin: East Anglia (Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk), England
Class: Horned, Lowland sheep
Colour: Black face, leg and feet. White fleece.
Parentage: Original Norfolks - Unknown. The Norfolk Horn became so rare with various inbreeding problems that Suffolks (Norfolks x Southdowns) had to be introduced.
Breed society:
Norfolk horn Breeders Group
Secretary: Mr Peter Harris
Tel: 01245 361371
Email: info@norfolkhornbreeders.co.uk
www.norfolkhornbreeders.co.uk
North Country Cheviot
Origin: Caithness, Sutherland and Ross-shire, Northern Scotland
Class: Polled ewes, rams are occasionally horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White face, legs and white fleece.
Parentage: Selected from ‘Long Hill’ sheep from the borders of England and Scotland.
Breed society:
North Country Cheviot Society
Secretary: Alison Brodie
Tel: 01461 600646
Email: Alison.brodie@nc-cheviot.co.uk
www.nc-cheviot.co.uk
North Ronaldsay
Origin: North Ronaldsay, The northern most island of the Orkney archipelago, Northern Scotland
Class: Horned rams, horned, polled or scurred ewes. Primitive, short-tailed. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Variable
Parentage: Ancient breed
Breed society:
North Ronaldsay Sheep Fellowship
Secretary: Anne Lane
Tel: 01772 613928
Email: info@nrsf.co.uk
www.nrsf.moonfruit.com
Oxford Down
Origin: Witney, Oxfordshire, England
Class: Polled. Rams will occasionally have scurs. Lowland sheep
Colour: Dark face, ears, legs and feet. White fleece
Parentage: Cotswold rams Hampshire Down and Southdown ewes.
Breed society:
Oxford Down Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Paul Froehlich
Tel: 01926 650098
Email: secretary@oxforddownsheep.org.uk
www.oxforddownsheep.talktalk.net
Farmers and breeders: www.bishopsgorse.com
Portland
Origin: Portland Island, Dorset, England
Class: Horned. Lowland sheep
Colour: Tan face and legs, creamy white fleece
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown ancestry
Breed society:
Portland Sheep Breeders Group
Secretary: Michelle Jones
Tel: 01297 561072
Email:
www.portlandsheepbreeders.org.uk
Romney
Origin: Kent and Sussex, England
Class: Polled. Longwool. Lowland sheep
Colour: White face and legs and fleece.
Parentage:
Breed society:
Romney Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Mr Alan West
Tel: 01732 845637
Email: alan.t.west@btinternet.com
www.romneysheepuk.com
Rough Fell
Origin: Northern England
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Black head with white patch on the face above the nose, white legs, white fleece.
Parentage:
Breed society:
The Rough Fell Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary:
Tel:
Email:
www.roughfellsheep.co.uk
Ryeland
Origin: Herefordshire, England
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: White face, legs and fleece. Other colours occasionally occur
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown parentage
Breed society:
The Ryeland Flock Book Society
Secretary: Mrs D Tyne
Tel:
Email:
www.ryelandfbs.com
Shetland
Origin: Shetland Isles, Scotland
Class: Horned rams, usually polled ewes. Primitive Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White face, white fleece or moorit/various brown shades
Parentage: Ancient breed. Descended from primitive Northern European breeds
Breed society:
Shetland Sheep Society
Secretary: Mrs Maureen Turner
Tel: 01673 857363
Email: met@lincwold.mail1.co.uk
www.shetland-sheep.org.uk
Shropshire
Origin: Shropshire
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: Black face and legs. White fleece
Parentage: Indigenous sheep of Staffordshire and Shropshire
Breed society:
The Shropshire Sheep Breeders Association & Flock Book Society
Secretary: Jane Wilson
Tel: 01434 240435
Email: Shropshire_sheep@hotmail.com
www.shropshire-sheep.co.uk
Soay
Origin: Island of Soay, St Kilda, found off the west coast of the Outer Hebridies of Scotland
Class: Horned rams, horned/polled ewes. Primitive Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Chocolate or tan fleece, occasionally black sheep occur.
Parentage: Ancient breed descended from primitive northern European breeds
Breed society:
Soay and Boreray Society
Secretary: Vicki Beesley
Tel:
Email: breedsecretary.vb@soaysheep.org
www.soaysheep.org
Southdown
Origin: Sussex, England
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: Mouse brown face and legs. White fleece
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown parentage. During the 18th century the breed was carefully selected for improvement without the introduction of other breeds.
Breed society:
The Southdown Sheep Society
Secretary: Mrs Gail Sprake
Tel: 01986 782251
Email: secretary@southdownsheepsociety.co.uk
www.southdownsheepsociety.co.uk
South Wales Mountain
Origin: South Powys, Carmarthenshire, Monmouthshire and Glamorgan, Wales
Class: Horned rams, polled ewes. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White fleece. White face and legs with tan markings.
Parentage: Unknown
Breed society:
South Wales Mountain Sheep Society
Secretary: Mr G Davies
Tel: 01443 839234
Suffolk
Origin: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Class: Polled. Lowland
Colour: Black head and legs. White fleece
Parentage: Norfolk Horn ewes, Southdown rams.
Breed society:
Suffolk Sheep Society
Secretary:
Tel: 02825 632342
Email: lewismcc@suffolksheep.org
www.suffolksheep.org, www.suffolksheepni.co.uk, www.southeastsuffolks.co.uk
Swaledale
Origin: Northern England
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: Predominantly white fleece with some black around the neck. A black face with white on and around the muzzle and grey legs.
Parentage: Indigenous horned sheep of the area.
Breed society:
Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: John Stephenson
Tel: 01833 650516
Email: jstephenson@swaledale-sheep.com
www.swaledale-sheep.com
Teeswater
Origin: Teesdale, Durham, Northern England
Class: Polled. Lowland sheep
Colour: White lustre fleece, off-white face. Dark brown markings around the nose and eyes.
Parentage:
Breed society:
Teeswater Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Mrs M Braithwaite
Tel: 01833 630349
Email: wodencroft@freenet.co.uk
www.teeswater-sheep.co.uk
Welsh Hill Speckled
Origin: Wales
Class: Horned/Polled rams, Polled ewes. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White legs face and fleece. Black markings on the nose, eyes, ears, knees and feet.
Parentage:
Breed society:
Welsh Hill Speckled Face Sheep Society
Secretary: Mr R Griffiths
Tel: 01686 440279
Wensleydale
Origin: North Yorkshire, England
Class: Polled, lustre long wool. Lowland sheep
Colour: Blue head and ears
Parentage: Dishley Leicester Ram named ‘Bluecap’ and an indigenous but now extinct local longwool breed.
Breed society:
Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders Association
Secretary: Mrs Barbara Metcalfe
Tel: 01388 777852
Email:
www.wensleydale-sheep.com
White Face Dartmoor
Origin: Dartmoor, Somerset, England
Class: Horned. Lowland sheep
Colour: White head and face, white fleece.
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown parentage
Breed society:
The Whiteface Dartmoor Sheep Association
www.whitefacedartmoorsheep.co.uk
Whitefaced Woodland
Origin: Border regions of Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Cheshire
Class: Horned. Hill and Mountain sheep
Colour: White face and legs. White fleece
Parentage:
Breed society:
Whitefaced Woodland Sheep Society
Secretary: Rachel Godschalk
Tel: 01833 628416
Email: Rachelgodschalk@whitefacedwoodland.co.uk
www.whitefacedwoodland.co.uk
Wiltshire Horn
Origin: Wiltshire, England
Class: Wool-less, horned. Lowland sheep
Colour: White face, legs and body
Parentage: Ancient breed of unknown parentage
Breed society:
Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society
Secretary: Mrs C Cormack
Tel: 0844 800 1029
Email: info@wiltshirehorn.org.uk
www.wiltshirehorn.org.uk
