A Little About: Black Welsh Mountain

History

Black Welsh Mountain sheep are some of the only sheep in the UK to produce a purely black fleece as opposed to a very dark brown (although sun bleaching over time causes the tips to become shades of brown as seen in the photo). The breed is referred to in writing dating back to the medieval period when the fleece colouring was highly desirable, but has since undergone selective breeding to create a more pure black colour¹. As the name suggests, the sheep originate from Wales and although this remains the primary location of Black Welsh Mountain flocks, in 1972 three rams and thirteen ewes were imported to North America, from which North American flocks today derive² .

Fleece Research

This fleece has a gorgeous natural colour, so there’s no need to dye it (although overdying dark fleeces can produce interesting results). It reportedly has little to no kemp with easy to separate locks, therefore fibre preparation should be quite straightforward. Although not the softest of fleeces, it has historically been used in Welsh woollen clothing, but it is durable enough to be used in rugs and blankets; a good all rounder. I should note at this stage that the fleece I will be working with over the coming BWM posts was an online marketplace purchase gone awry from my early days of spinning, so my experience with BWM is very unlikely to be typical of all fleeces of the breed (but I’ll talk more about that in the fibre prep post).

Useful Links:

• Breed Society Website – http://www.blackwelshmountain.org.uk
• Photo permission kindly provided by the British Coloured Sheep Breeders Association who have a directory of breeders who sell coloured fleeces so you don’t have to take a gamble on online marketplaces – https://www.bcsba.org.uk/