The Teeswater is named for the River Tees where it was developed from longwools brought to Britain by the Romans. Being developed in a wet area, these sheep have a lovely open fleece, meaning if parted, you can see to their skin. Their locks are noted for the curl structure in which it twists one direction and then back the other way in an interesting wave. Exceptionally long Teeswater is coveted for tailspun items, though it is common to shear these sheep twice a year once mature for shorter fleeces.
Teeswater are primarily raised as a meat breed and are known for passing on their body size to their offspring in crosses. This and their wool characteristics has made them a useful in developing other breeds like the Wensleydale and Masham. In fact, the use as a primary breed sire for Masham helped save the Teeswater from extinction.
| Micron Count | 30-36 |
| Staple Length | 12-15″ |
| Project Expectations | -Wonderful lock structure for lockspun yarn or keeping them intact in other projects such as doll hair or weavings. -Silky and soft with a beautiful luster despite micron measurement. -Resistant to felting. -Low twist yarns work out well with long-stapled fleeces. -Capable of fine and draping yarn with clear stitch definition. -Strong enough for some upholstery applications. -Creates a lovely bloom in worsted spinning. |
Teeswaters began with white faces, but were crossed with smaller hill sheep in the area and later developed their customary black wedges over their noses and their dark ears and legs, though their fleeces are to remain white to be accepted in any registries. In the early 1800s a man named Robert Bakewell traveled throughout Europe to study various farming practices before taking over his father’s farm. Influenced by ideas from Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin, he split the ewes and rams of the native sheep in the Leicestershire and Lincolnshire area. He found with careful breeding, he was able to select for specific traits in his animals. Naming his new breed the Dishley Leicesters after his farm, he became the originator of many breeding practices that developed improved sheep and to the idea of a breed association with registered animals. Teeswater were used in his breeding program with the Dishley sheep to develop the Wensleydale which quickly took popularity over the Teeswater. They remained relatively isolated and true to their original format, but numbers declined until nearly being wiped out. After WWII, their remaining numbers were recognized in a flock book and used to develop the Masham which led to their increase.
To this day, they are still critical in the U.S. and are on the Rare Breed Survival Trust’s watchlist. The American Teeswater is the result of Upbreeding. Upbreeding is the practice by which imported semen or embryos are used with approved breeds to create crossbred progeny to eventually have a purebred sheep. For instance, the first offspring will be a 50/50 cross and that ewe will then be bred artificially again with the imported materials creating a 75/25 cross and so on until a purebred sheep percentage is reached. A sheep is considered a purebred Teeswater once it reaches a 96% purity. Various disease outbreaks in Europe have made this a difficult journey for the breeds to get established in the states through this program.
Fossil Fibers 