Teeswater Top

About the fibre

Staple length 150-300mm Micron count 40-60

Coarse

Teeswater wool is long and curly, and has a remarkably lustrous quality -- when dyed, especially, it is said to take on a striking resemblance to silk!

Origin: United Kingdom

Sold in bags of 100g of wool

About the breed

The Teeswater is a rare breed of sheep that originated in Durham County, in the north of England. It is a longwool breed with a lofty fiber. It is an elegant sheep to behold, with long lines, a brown and white face, and wool that cascades off its back in very long, narrow ringlets. 

After World War II, farmers of the region started a breed society to promote their flocks. The rams of the breed became known for their good genes; when coupled with Northern hill breed ewes, such as Swaledales, to create a recognized cross-breed known as a Masham.

The Teeswater's popularity for this purpose was eclipsed by other long-wool breeds like the Blue Faced Leicester, which resulted in dwindling numbers throughout the 1960's and 1970's. They have recently seen a small resurgence of interest, partly due to the Campaign for British Wool, which seeks to rescue rare breeds from being lost entirely.

Paul Buckingham / Track of Railway, from Ingleby Incline at Bank Foot Farm / CC BY-SA 2.0