Cotswold Lions are a historic breed of sheep native to the Cotswolds dating back to Saxon and Roman times. Even the name of Cotswolds is derived from the Saxon word ‘cots’ meaning Sheep enclosure and Wold being a rolling hill. These sheep are known for their long, curly, fleece that gave rise to the medieval wool trade which created huge wealth to the Cotswold region. It is said that England’s medieval wealth was built on ‘the back of these sheep’
The Cotswold Sheep were known for their large size, Long woolly fleece and placid and hardy temperament.
While there were huge numbers of these Sheep in medieval Britain , the breed suffered a huge decline during The Victorian era due to the introduction of man-made fibres. The Breed became practically extinct by the end of the first Worl War.
Nowadays there are a few specialist breeders breeding Cotswold Sheep purely to keep the breed alive.
Copyright 2025 | Mark Ransom | Cotswold Blog
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