Breed History

The Ryeland is a very old breed, native to Herefordshire, where its history was already known as early as 1343. In the Middle Ages, its wool was the source of much of the area’s wealth.
The Ryeland is a polled, fine woolled, compact sheep with a good confirmation. Both ewes and rams have a docile nature and are easy to manage. Ewes provide ample milk, have good mothering instincts and produce strong lively lambs that are active and eager to suckle. The sheep are hardy, have good feet and are happy in either lowland or upland pastures. The breed has been developed to satisfy both the demand for quality meat and for fine wool.
Coloured Ryelands have become popular especially with Smallholders. The lambs look like chocolate teddy bears and the fleece colours of the adult sheep range from the palest silver through many shades of grey to almost black. Fawn or brown colours also occur in adult sheep and colours may be uniform or spotted and patched.
The wool, which is soft and crimpy, has a staple length of 8 to 10cm and a Bradford Count of 56’s to 58’s. Because of its springiness and lack of kemp make it highly sought after by hand spinners and knitters and it is also resistant to felting.
With thanks to the Coloured Ryeland Group information leaflet