Wensleydale Sheep: A Handcrafted History

What was it?

The Wensleydale Sheep: A Handcrafted History traveling exhibition was organised by a small group of passionate individuals within the Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders’ Association. It collected the work of almost 40 textile artists throughout the UK, with every piece crafted using native, rare breed Wensleydale sheep wool. The exhibition was the first of its kind in promoting the unique Wensleydale Longwool fleece and the versatile range of textile crafts for which it can be used. It was a celebration of rural history, heritage woolcrafts and the increasingly popular and sustainable practice of using British wool in textiles

This exhibition helped to highlight the Wensleydale breed as a luxury wool producer. It also brought to public attention the wide range of uses of the wool through age-old textile crafts, keeping them alive for the benefit of future generations and encouraging sustainable practices in textile production in a world dominated by a limited use, throwaway culture

The exhibited pieces varied widely, from hand woven tapestries and knitted lace garments, to felted ‘wool paintings’ and re-upholstered furniture. Each piece was unique and almost every piece was created especially for the exhibition, which travelled to a range of venues throughout 2025 including the Great Yorkshire Show, Tennants Garden Rooms and The Dales Countryside Museum. The exhibition was attended by Wensleydale sheep themselves at each venue, and featured live demonstrations of various woolcrafts and interactive workshops, as well as talks by some of the breeders who keep Wensleydale sheep

The Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Breeders’ Association were incredibly grateful to have received a grant from the Yorkshire Agricultural Society @YorkshireAgriculturalSociety as well as from the Jack Brunton Charitable Trust to help fund the exhibition