British Breeds of Sheep 57 



The Border Leicester 



There is some doubt as to the material used in mak- 

 ing this variety of the Leicester, though there is no 

 uncertainty about the source of the breed. It is 

 asserted by some that the Cheviot cross was em- 

 ployed, while others maintain with reason that there 

 is no proof of this and that the variety is descended 

 from the Bakewell flock. The Leicester-Cheviot 

 being so popular in Scotland since an early day, it is 

 hard to believe but that an infusion of Cheviot blood 

 may have found its way into the flocks of the Border 

 variety, but as there is no direct evidence of this, 

 there is no right for its assumption. An early writer 

 refers to the importation made by Messrs. CuUey by 

 stating that in Northumberland the Leicester sheep 

 are the universal stock of the low grounds. Continu- 

 ing, this authority states that they were flrst intro- 

 duced by Messrs. CuUey about the year 1766 from 

 the founder of that breed, Mr. Bakewell of Dishley. 

 According to Professor Wrightson, it was in 1763 

 when George CuUey visited Dishley, and at that time 

 the Bakewell sheep were in high repute. CuUey 

 brought some Leicester rams from Bakewell and 

 continued to do so for several years. The CuUeys' 

 stock, according to Professor Wrightson, is looked 

 upon as the original strain from which the Border 

 Leicester were derived. The CuUeys retired in 1806, 

 and the flock became the foundation for Lord Pol- 



