COTSWOLDS. 29 



CHAPTER V. 

 COTSWOLDS. 



THIS breed, contrary to the habit of most long-woolled 

 sheep, has made its home on bleak uplands. Visitors to 

 Cheltenham, or residents in the fertile vales of Evesham, 

 Gloucester, or Berkeley, may raise their eyes to the rugged 

 outline of Cotswold, and see the hills covered with snow while 

 the valley is basking in sunshine. The beautiful scenery of 

 Warwickshire and Worcestershire is due in a great measure 

 to the alternation of valleys cut deeply through the rocky 

 foundations on which these hills rest to the smoother flats of 

 the lias clay. Leckhampton, Quidhampton, Birdlip, Tetbury, 

 Cirencester, Stroud and North Leach, Slaughter and Bourton- 

 on-the-Water fairly indicate the area of this tableland, inter- 

 sected with deep ravines, which compose the Cotswold 

 Hills. 



Cotswold sheep are among the most ancient of our 

 recognised breeds. The hills take their designation from 

 the sheep rather than the sheep from the hills. They derive 

 their name from cote, a sheep fold, and would, a naked hill. 

 On these woulds, says the translater of Camden, " they feed 

 in great numbers flockes of sheep, long-necked and square of 

 bulk and bone by reason, as is commonly thought, of the 

 weally and hilly situation of their pasturage, whose wool, 

 being more fine and soft, is held in passing great account 

 amongst all nations." Stowe, in his Chronicles, states that 

 in 1464 King Edward IV. " concluded an amnesty and league 

 with King Henry of Castill and King John of Aragon, at the 



