SHEEP i6i 



from Grasmere and Wythburn. At a sale of Herdwick sheep 

 at Ambleside Fair in 1890, from Hartsop Hall, wethers averaged 

 25/6, wether twinters 22/-, wether lambs 12/6, gimmer twinters 

 28/-, and stock ewes 29/-. 



Herdwicks were first shown at an exhibition of the Royal Agricul- 

 tural Society, when the meeting was held at Carlisle in 1855 ; of the 

 three prizes offered all came to Westmorland, through Geo. Robinson of 

 Orton and John Mounsey of Askham, both on the very borders of the 

 Herdwick country. In 1864 the Royal was at Newcastle, when there 

 were 16 entries of Herdwicks, 13 of which were from Cumberland 

 and three from Westmorland, and the chief winners were : Geo. 

 Browne of Troutbeck and Ed. Nelson of Gatesgarth. In 1869 there 

 were 19 entries at Manchester in three classes, when Geo. Browne 

 and Richard Browne of Troutbeck and Ed. Nelson were again the 

 chief winners. It was at this show that the celebrated ram, "Nero," 

 then 3 years and 2 months' old, won in the aged class ; he was 

 afterwards sold for £30. At Liverpool, 1877, there were 18 entries 

 in three classes, when E. Nelson, Geo. Browne and Wm. Leathes of 

 Lamplugh Hsdl were the winners. There was a large entry when the 

 Royal was again at Carlisle in 1880, where the chief winners were 

 Ed. Hawell of Lonscale, John Newby (Muncaster Head), Geo. Browne, 

 and Ed. Nelson. Each year since 1893 there have been classes for 

 Herdwicks at the Royal, though on several occasions the competition 

 has been very poor. At the third visit of the Royal to Carlisle, in 

 1902, there were 23 entries in three classes, John Bennett of Cleator 

 won in the two-shear and upwards class with " Hero," while Wm. 

 Mackereth, Ambleside, won the premium for shearling rams with 

 " King Moor " and also for the best pen of three shearling ewes. At 

 the four previous Royal Shows the number of entries were : 1898, 6 ; 

 1899, 2 ; 1900, 6 ; and 1901, 8. 



The Penrith Agricultural Society, which was started in 1833, 

 for the East and West Wards of Westmorland and East Cumberland 

 was the first local society to offer prizes for Herdwicks, this they 

 did at their first exhibition of stock. The Appleby and Kirkby Stephen 

 Agricultural Society had a class for them in 1841, and in 1848 the 

 High Borrow Bridge Agricultural Society offered prizes for horned 

 fell sheep, half-bred lambs of a fell cross, and Herdwicks. The 



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