Wensleydale facts for kids
Wensleydale is a beautiful valley in North Yorkshire, England. It's located on the east side of the Pennines mountains. This valley is named after a small village called Wensley. The name 'Wensley' means 'Woden's meadow', which refers to an old pagan god. Wensleydale is famous for its delicious cheese. It is also part of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, a special area known for its stunning natural beauty.
Wensleydale Cheese
Wensleydale cheese is a tasty cheese made from cow's milk. It's usually shaped like a flat, round disc. The story of this cheese began a long time ago, in 1150. Monks in Wensleydale started making it first. Over time, it became a popular cheese made in farmhouses.
The first time Wensleydale cheese was made for sale was in 1897, in the town of Hawes. Cheese making continued there for many years. However, in May 1992, the cheese factory had to close. But the story didn't end there! Six months later, a group of local business people, former factory workers, and cheesemakers worked together. They managed to reopen the business. They wanted to make sure "Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese" continued to be made.
This new business became very successful. It now makes many different kinds of specialty cheeses. More than 200 people work there today, making sure everyone can enjoy Wensleydale cheese.
Wensleydale in Popular Culture
In the 1990s, not many people were buying Wensleydale cheese. Sales had dropped quite a lot. But then, something amazing happened! The cheese got a big boost from a popular animated cartoon series called Wallace and Gromit.
In the cartoons, the main character, Wallace, loves cheese very much. He often talks about Wensleydale cheese as his favorite. This happened in two of their famous films: A Grand Day Out and A Close Shave. Because Wallace loved it so much, many more people wanted to try Wensleydale cheese. This helped sales go up again!
Images for kids
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Bolton Castle in 2014
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Cauldron Falls in West Burton
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Bolton Castle in June 2018, partly fixed up
See also
- Wensleydale para niños (Wensleydale for kids in Spanish)
