Two new farmhouse cheesemakers have started producing traditional cloth-bound Lancashire as part of a mini revival of the crumbly territorial.
Mrs Kirkham’s in Goosnargh has long been the only remaining farmhouse, raw milk Lancashire maker in the world after production of the cheese died out last century. But in 2024 it was joined by Lowfields Lancashire, a cloth-bound cheese made with curd from three days, launched by Roger Cowgill using raw milk from 20 Shorthorns at his farm in Ingleton, Yorkshire.
Now, Farm on the Fell in Bleasdale, Preston, is also set to boost the fortunes of the regional cheese after making its first batch in September. Small amounts of the as-yet-unnamed Lancashire will be available before Christmas, with full production to start in the spring.
The 236-acre farm, run by Lisa and Michael Kelsall, has 35 Jersey-cross cows, reared using the ‘cow-with-calf’ method.
This involves calves being kept with their mothers for three months or more, rather than being separated at a young age.
The farm previously supplied liquid milk, but sold its 180-strong indoor-reared herd after taking inspiration from the Ethical Dairy in Scotland, which also makes cheese using the cow-with-calf method.
“We weren’t happy pushing the cows,” said Lisa Kelsall. “We had had enough, so started looking for other ways of farming. We visited the Ethical Dairy and thought, ‘this is what we want to do.’”
In 1939, there were more than 200 Lancashire producers, but the impact of war, rationing and the Milk Marketing Board meant farmhouse producers declined rapidly, until only Kirkham’s was left.
The revival of Lancashire follows a similar renaissance as farmhouse Wensleydale, which has seen three new cheeses made on farms: Stonebeck, Yoredale and Whin Yeats.
The Courtyard Dairy in Settle, North Yorkshire, has been instrumental in supporting makers of both styles of cheese, encouraging farmers to make traditional cheeses, committing to stock them and providing technical support.
“Fifteen years ago, there was no farmhouse Wensleydale being made, and now we have three that all have their own unique character,” said co-owner Andy Swinscoe. “Kirkham’s is a bedrock of our shop. The more cheesemakers we have, the more security we have for these traditional cheese types. If there are challenges, they can share knowledge, while also pushing each other to make better cheeses.”
This article first appeared in the October issue of Fine Food Digest.
