Craven Heifer facts for kids
The Craven Heifer was an amazing cow that lived a long time ago, in the early 1800s. She is still known as the biggest cow ever shown in England! Imagine a cow weighing about 1,132 kilograms (that's like a small car!), being 3.4 meters long from nose to tail, and 1.6 meters tall at her shoulder. Her body was also super wide, measuring over 3 meters around!
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The Amazing Craven Heifer
The Craven Heifer was a truly special animal. Her incredible size made her famous across England during her short life. People traveled far and wide just to see this giant cow.
Her Early Life and Growth
The Craven Heifer was born in 1807 at Bolton Abbey. This was on the large estate of the Duke of Devonshire. A man named Reverend William Carr was in charge of raising her. He fed her a lot for five years. She grew to an enormous size, weighing 312 stone (which is about 1,981 kilograms!). She was also 3.45 meters long and over 2.1 meters tall. She became so big that a special, extra-wide door had to be built for her cowshed. This special doorway can still be seen today!
Touring England
Because she was so huge and famous, a man named John Watkinson bought her. He paid £200 for her, which would be like £10,000 today! John decided to take her on a tour. She traveled all over England, and many people came to see her. One long trip from Wakefield to London took 73 days! This journey happened between November 1811 and January 1812. She stopped in many towns and cities along the way.
A Famous Painting
In January 2013, a special oil painting of the Craven Heifer was sold. This painting was made in 1811, when she was still alive. It sold for a lot of money, about £16,250 (or $25,586). This shows how important and famous she was, even after so many years.
Her Legacy Today
Even though the Craven Heifer only lived for five years, she is still remembered. Most cows of her type live for about 15 years. Today, you can find many pubs (public houses) named "The Craven Heifer." These are especially popular in the Craven area of North Yorkshire. This shows how much of an impact she made!
