CHAPTER LVII 



THE COTSWOLD 



The name " Cotswold " is derived from a combination of cir- 

 cumstances. In early times sheep were folded in shelters locally 

 known as " cots " or " cotes " and were pastured on the wild, tree- 

 less hills of the region, which were termed "wolds," from which 

 the name "Cotswold" was evolved. 



The native home of the Cotswold sheep is in central south- 

 western England in the county of Gloucester, 1 which has an area 

 of 1237 square miles. The river Severn flows southwesterly across 

 the county and into Bristol Channel. The large city of Gloucester 

 is the county seat. The Cotswold hills, which comprise about 

 280,000 acres, extend southwesterly nearly through and to the 

 southern borders of the county. These low hills are of variable 

 soils often poor in quality, gravelly or clayey in character, with 

 much lime, grow a short pasturage, and yield moderate crops of 

 wheat and roots. The climate is moist and temperate, well suited 

 to large sheep. This is also noted as a dairy section, and many 

 cattle are kept here. 



The history of the Cotswold shows it to be a very ancient 

 breed. In 1464 King Edward IV of England, says Stow in his 

 "Chronicles," granted permission "for certain Coteswold sheep 

 to be transported into the country of Spaine, which have there 

 since mightily increased and multiplied to the Spanish profit." 

 Marshall, a noted early writer on the agriculture of Gloucester, 

 in 1796 wrote 2 : "The Cotswolds have long been celebrated for 

 their sheep, which still remain the grand object of the Cotswold 

 husbandry." " The present breed," he writes, " is a polled, long- 

 wooled, middle-sized sheep, a breed which has been prevalent on 

 the hills, time immemorial ; it has been improved, but has not 

 been changed. Hence, it is probable, the popular idea of the 



1 Pronounced as though spelled " Gloster." 



2 W. Marshall, The Rural Economy of Gloucestershire. London, 1796. 2 vols. 



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