Revival
of the
Breed
Taken from the ARK, Summer 2002
The lineage of the Southdown Sheep is indisputably ancient. It used to be said that its pedigree was "older than that of the peerage". Before the Southdown sheep were exported worldwide in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries they occupied an important niche on the South Down hills around Lewes in East Sussex. It has been estimated that there were some 110,000 sheep in Sussex in 1341 and their wool was second only to the Hereford sheep in fineness and quality. In 1813, nearly five centuries later, the Reverend Arthur Young estimated that there were 200,000 ewes kept on the eastern South Downs and commented that "the amazing number they keep is one of the most singular circumstances in the husbandry of England".
The principal reason for the large concentrations of Southdown sheep on downland farms over these centuries was their crucial role in the maintenance of soil fertility. The large flocks grazed the open downs by day and at dusk came down to the lower arable land for folding. The downland soils tend to be chalky and not naturally fertile so that the close-folding by the sheep on small areas manured and trod the soil. This meant that bread wheat could be grown successfully the following year. With the gradual introduction of new crops such as field turnips, swedes, kohl rabi and other forage crops the folding system took off as never before, increasing in parallel with expanding human population. The system reached its zenith in the 'Golden Years' lasting from about 1845 to 1870 or 80. Then began the Great Depression. A severe and prolonged fall in the prices of wool and cereals due to rising volumes of imports from the New Countries was accompanied by the Wet Years - a six year period of cold wet weather with little sun.
In 1883 the weather relented but the Depression continued. New men and new methods in farming were just beginning to move onto the scene but so sound was the classic downland farming system that even by Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 the sheep-and-corn system was still intact. The New Century brought with it the establishment of pedigree recording. By 1911 there were 359 registered Southdown flocks containing some 114,495 breeding ewes throughout Britain.
About this time it was noticed that dairy cows were rising in numbers. Fresh milk could not then be imported and dairying became increasingly important in farming's economic survival.
But much remained the same until the Great War of 1914-1918 when the large number of folding Southdown flocks declined with some rapidity, as shephers and farm workers went off to war. By 1922 the short-lived War-time farming boom had evaporated and the 359 pedigree flocks had shrunk to 245. The number of dairy herds continued to grow apace but from 1922 to 1939 the registered Southdown flocks hovered around the 200 mark. Folding flocks were no longer economic and smaller flocks averaged only 135 ewes apiece.
The use of artificial fertilizers had gained ground and the combine-drill, which sowed grain seeds and fertilizer together, rendered close-folding by sheep unnecessary. Gradually surrendering to basic arable farming changes, the Southdown became largely a grassland breed. During the inter-war years the United Kingdom became known as the stud-farm of the world in all the farm species and pedigree Southdowns were still being exported to most parts of the world, with New Zealand taking the lion's share. In 1937 the number of exported Southdowns reached 459 head.
In 1939 global war again intervened and the Southdown breed was once more hit badly. The South Down hills were commandeered for military training, only fringe farms were left producing milk for the towns.
Population Reduced to 4,400
In 1945 the war ended with only some forty pedigree flocks of Southdowns in existence. These remaining flocks contained about 4,400 breeding ewes. Even so, we can read in the 1950 flock book that at almost all the agricultural shows Southdowns were the most strongly represented breed of sheep. In the four years 1953 to 1956 Southdowns took the supreme carcase award at the Royal Smithfield Show. A small export trade had been rekindled - mainly to Kenya and the Continent. In 1963, for example, 43 rams and 110 ewes were sent to Portugal.
But the writing was on the wall and one may suspect that it had been so for perhaps a decade or longer. Three breeds of British Livestock - the Aberdeen Angus cattle, the Southdown sheep and Berkshire pig were the cream of the quality meat trade and sure winners at the prime fat-stock shows. In the U.S.A., the Southdowns had carried all before them at the great Chicago International Live Stock Expositions during most of the inter-war period.
At this period also, New Zealand built up its Canterbury Lamb exports. The Southdown sire had proved itself to be eminently suited to producing lamb for freezing and export.
The Production of Miniscule Stock
The undisputed success of the three farm species seemed to drive the breeders into developing a systematic reduction in the size of their animals. This resulted in the production of miniscule stock with increased proportion of fat which was rapidly becoming unpopular with the public. The Southdown ewes lost much of their former robustness; the Southdown rams became too small to mate with larger commercial ewes and by 1968 there remained only 2000 registered ewes. This figure reduced to about 1300 by 1987 and the Southdown breed became an endangered breed under the auspices of the Rare Breed Survival Trust.
But all was not lost and the few remaining dedicated Southdown breeders were aware of the problems. Specifically, the Craigs of Ringmer, near Lewes, spear-headed the drive to restore size in their sheep. The Southdown Society then turned its gaze on New Zealand and made an importation of fourteen selected rams.
But New Zealand and the United States were themselves already drastically re-moulding their own Southdowns. In particular they took exception to over-fatness and over-short legs.
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| From The Southdown Flock Book Volume XLVIII, 1939 |
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| From The Southdown Flock Book, Volume IX, 1900 |
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| The Southdown Sheep as illustrated in the 19th Century |
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| The Supreme Champion as well as the Downland/Shortwool Champion at the National Rare Breeds Show & Sale, 2000. Photo by Simon Tupper |
British breeders, while observing these overseas developments, were not greatly enamoured by the products of these changes and continued with a less drastic re-mould. Mrs. Sheila Colman of Steepdown fame, near Worthing, made an importation of French Southdowns which brought in a wealth of size and vitality to a number of British flocks.
It is possible that Southdown breeders might well have re-captured some of their former importance, but it was too late. Imports of Continental sheep breeds - particularly the Texel - had taken over the markets, especially as a prime lamb sire. The Texel's only real British competitor is the Suffolk (a Southdown/Norfolk Horn blend) which produces fine over-wintering meat tegs.
But the remoulded Southdown has maintained a good show presence - often winning reserve supreme championships especially in its home territories, Sussex and Kent. These successes were crowned at the Millennium Royal Show at Stoneleigh in 2000 when a superb shearling ewe, Manor W3 of 1999, was judged Reserve Supreme Champion. The ewe came from Mr. & Mrs. John Goode's Manor Flock at Kites Hardwick near Rugby. This flock - although a leading re-mould - has, interestingly enough, little overseas Southdown blood in it, but is blended with special emphasis on Mr. Hugh Clark's famous Moulton flock.
As to the future of the Southdown - once supreme in all the world, it is currently making its mark as a small farm meat producer supplying local freezers, farmers' markets and specialist butcher shops.
One edition of the Concise Oxford Dictionary describes the Southdown as "a breed originating on the South Downs esteemed for their flesh". Long may it continue.
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| The Modern Southdown "is currently making its mark as a small farm meat producer" |
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| Manor W3 of 1999 with Mr. & Mrs. J.D. Goode Champion Southdown & Reserve Supreme Champion at the Royal Show, 2000 |
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Material Copyright © 2002 The Southdown Sheep Society