Soay Sheep in Elkstone
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Soay Sheep in Elkstone by Nic Williamson as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk
Soay Sheep in Elkstone
Image: © Nic Williamson Taken: Unknown
These rare Soay sheep are considered the only remaining iron-age farm animal. The breed was brought to the mainland from the St Kilda group of islands in 1963 and, while on the 'vulnerable' list of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust they are found in park land and enthusiast's flocks. Light of foot, they are very good for conservation grazing. In the middle ages wool represented 50% of gross national product with a large proportion and the finest wool being produced in the Cotswolds by breeds such as the Cotswold Lion with their prized 'Golden Fleeces'.
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Image Location
Latitude
51.808427
Longitude
-2.047817