| Two types of sheep have
been associated with North Wales for a long time. Walter Davies writing
in 1810 described the small Welsh Mountain and a larger polled breed with
white legs and face. The origin of the larger type, associated with Anglesey
was in some doubt but Davies maintains the possibility that it was associated
with an importation from Ireland. A firm association of a large white faced,
polled sheep with the Lleyn peninsula dates from the early 19th
century when sheep, probably derived from Bakewell Leicester cross Roscommon
stock were imported to the Nanhoron Estate from the South West of Ireland.
From this basis was developed the Lleyn sheep, renowned for its prolificacy and mothering ability. At the turn of the century the ewes were milked after selling their lambs at Easter, and cheese was produced from their milk on many farms. Such sheep were widespread in the lowlands of the North Western corner of Wales at the end of the nineteenth century and up to the 30's of the 20th century. From the 30's the numbers of Lleyn sheep declined so that the breed was in danger of extinction in the 50's and 60's. The breed was ousted by the availability of cheap draft hill ewes from the nearby Snowdonian flocks. These could be run cheaply at heavy stocking rates and crossed with the Suffolk or Wiltshire to produce acceptable carcass from early-marketed single lambs. By the mid 60's the large
number of purebred flocks that had existed prior to 1940 had dwindled to
less than a dozen. It was then realised that unless swift action was taken
the Lleyn breed would soon become extinct like another indigenous breed
of the Lleyn peninsula, the Rhiw sheep. In 1970 the few remaining breeders
came together to form a Society. Had it not been for those few stalwarts
the Lleyn sheep could well have become a breed of the past. We owe them
all a debt of gratitude.
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