Chillingham Cattle
Encyclopedia
Chillingham Cattle are a breed of cattle
that live in a large enclosed park at Chillingham Castle
, Northumberland
, England
. This rare breed consists of about 90 animals in Chillingham, which inhabit a very large park that has existed since the Middle Ages
. The herd has remained remarkably genetically isolated
for hundreds of years, surviving despite inbreeding depression
due to the small population. There is also a small reserve herd of about 20 animals located on Crown Estate
land near Fochabers
, North East Scotland.
cattle, in the sense that the Chillingham herd has contributed to the White Park, though there has been no gene flow the other way. Chillingham cattle are small, with upright horns in both males and females. Bulls weigh around 300 kg, cows about 280 kg. They are white with coloured ears (they may also have some colour on feet, nose and around the eyes). In the case of Chillingham Cattle, the ear-colour is red – in most White Park animals the ears are black (which is genetically dominant over red in cattle). Chillingham Cattle are of generally primitive conformation while White Parks are of classical British beef conformation.
at Chillingham is the widespread occurrence of large oak
trees amongst grassland (wood pasture
), providing a glimpse of Britain as many think it appeared in medieval
times. However, most of these trees were only planted in the 1780s - early 19th century and the truly ancient trees of the Park are the streamside alder
trees which were probably coppiced in the mid 18th century. They were probably hundreds of years old even then and the stems now growing are themselves around 250 years old. A diversity
of plant
s and animal
s find a habitat here, due to the absence of the intensive farming
found in most other places in Britain
.
The Northumberland site is also home to a variety of other species
including red squirrel
, fox
, and badger
, as well as roe deer
and fallow deer
. There are approximately 55 bird
species, including Common Buzzard
s, European Green Woodpeckers, and the Eurasian Nuthatch
which claims this latitude as its northernmost range in the United Kingdom
.
An on-site warden at the park (http://www.chillinghamwildcattle.com) leads small groups on foot to find the Chillingham cattle herd; on some days they are evident in one of the easily accessible meadows, while on other days they are virtually impossible to find, given the tangled woodlands and the amount of space they have for roaming. Just to the east of the park is the summit of Ros Hill
. The cattle are not visible from this viewpoint, which does however give an impressive view over much of north Northumberland. With support from Defra, a network of paths has been created around the periphery of Chillingham Park (http://countrywalks.defra.gov.uk).
, Bos primigenius primigenius, based upon cranial
geometrics and the positioning of their horns relative to the skull formation. They further claim that Chillingham Wild Cattle may be direct descendants of the primordial ox which "which roamed these islands before the dawn of history"; moreover, according to Tankerville, these characteristics differed from the cattle brought into England by the Romans
. It is also possible that they are descended from medieval husbanded cattle that were impounded when Chillingham Park was enclosed. In the absence of adequate genetic or archaeological evidence, these proposed origins must remain purely speculative.
The first written record of the herd dates from 1645 but the Chillingham herd is claimed by some to have been in this same site for at least seven centuries. Before the 13th century, this breed is claimed to have “roamed the great forest which extended from the North Sea coast to the Clyde estuary” according to the Countess of Tankerville. During the 13th century, the King of England licensed Chillingham Castle
to become “castellated and crenolated” and a drystone wall
may well have been built then to enclose the herd. At that time, there was particular concern about Scottish
marauders, which explains also the massive build-up of fortification of the nearby Dunstanburgh Castle
at the same time.
The wall that visitors see at Chillingham was built in the early 19th century to enclose the 1500 acres (607 ha) of Chillingham Park. As of 2009, the cattle have 330 acres (133.5 ha) to roam and the rest of the ground is woodland or farmland.
herds in the early 20th century, but the Chillingham herd has remained pure. Some degree of genetic affinity between Chillingham and White Park cattle would therefore be predicted, but this has not been investigated.
Dr. J. G. Hall of the Edinburgh Animal Breeding Research Organisation studied the blood groups of the Chillingham herd The herd was found to be remarkably homozygous, and this is what would be expected from their long history of inbreeding. These findings were confirmed in a later microsatellite DNA study Mitochondrial DNA studies have not yet been conducted.
.
They breed all year round and bulls occupy and share "home territories" with other members of the herd, as well as many as two or three other bulls. Home ranges overlap and are not thought of as defended territories although bulls participate in sparring matches with their home range partners.
the Park was purchased by the Sir James Knott Trust (a philanthropic organisation dedicated to protecting Northumberland for the benefit of all). It was then managed by the Knott Trust's agents: College Valley Estates (CVE). CVE granted a 999 year lease of the park to the association. In 2005, after a fund-raising campaign, the association purchased the park and surrounding woodlands. Thus, the herd and the park were reunited under the same ownership. Soon after, the association was able to purchase the sheep grazing rights, which were owned by a neighbour. The flock was removed, and this means a programme of remediation of the pasture and trees can be put into effect.
In July 2009, the herd numbers 85 animals. There is also a small reserve herd of about 20 head located on Crown Estates land near Fochabers
in north-east Scotland.
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
that live in a large enclosed park at Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle is a medieval castle in the village of Chillingham in the northern part of Northumberland, England. It was the seat of the Grey family and their descendants the Earls of Tankerville from the 13th century until the 1980s. The Chillingham Wild Cattle, formerly associated with the...
, Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. This rare breed consists of about 90 animals in Chillingham, which inhabit a very large park that has existed since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. The herd has remained remarkably genetically isolated
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
for hundreds of years, surviving despite inbreeding depression
Inbreeding depression
Inbreeding depression is the reduced fitness in a given population as a result of breeding of related individuals. It is often the result of a population bottleneck...
due to the small population. There is also a small reserve herd of about 20 animals located on Crown Estate
Crown Estate
In the United Kingdom, the Crown Estate is a property portfolio owned by the Crown. Although still belonging to the monarch and inherent with the accession of the throne, it is no longer the private property of the reigning monarch and cannot be sold by him/her, nor do the revenues from it belong...
land near Fochabers
Fochabers
Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, not far from the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. Around 2,000 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history...
, North East Scotland.
Description of cattle
The Chillingham Cattle are related to White ParkWhite Park
The White Park is a rare breed of horned cattle with ancient herds preserved in Great Britain.-Description:...
cattle, in the sense that the Chillingham herd has contributed to the White Park, though there has been no gene flow the other way. Chillingham cattle are small, with upright horns in both males and females. Bulls weigh around 300 kg, cows about 280 kg. They are white with coloured ears (they may also have some colour on feet, nose and around the eyes). In the case of Chillingham Cattle, the ear-colour is red – in most White Park animals the ears are black (which is genetically dominant over red in cattle). Chillingham Cattle are of generally primitive conformation while White Parks are of classical British beef conformation.
Description of the Northumberland habitat
To many visitors, the most striking element of the historic habitatHabitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
at Chillingham is the widespread occurrence of large oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
trees amongst grassland (wood pasture
Wood pasture
Wood pasture is a historical European land management system in which open woodland provided shelter and forage for grazing animals, particularly sheep and cattle, as well as woodland products such as timber for construction and fuel, coppiced stems for wattle and charcoal making and pollarded poles...
), providing a glimpse of Britain as many think it appeared in medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
times. However, most of these trees were only planted in the 1780s - early 19th century and the truly ancient trees of the Park are the streamside alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
trees which were probably coppiced in the mid 18th century. They were probably hundreds of years old even then and the stems now growing are themselves around 250 years old. A diversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
of plant
Plant
Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. Precise definitions of the kingdom vary, but as the term is used here, plants include familiar organisms such as trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The group is also called green plants or...
s and animal
Animal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s find a habitat here, due to the absence of the intensive farming
Intensive farming
Intensive farming or intensive agriculture is an agricultural production system characterized by the high inputs of capital, labour, or heavy usage of technologies such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers relative to land area....
found in most other places in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
The Northumberland site is also home to a variety of other species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
including red squirrel
Red Squirrel
The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...
, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, and badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
, as well as roe deer
Roe Deer
The European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
and fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
. There are approximately 55 bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
species, including Common Buzzard
Common Buzzard
The Common Buzzard is a medium to large bird of prey, whose range covers most of Europe and extends into Asia. It is usually resident all year, except in the coldest parts of its range, and in the case of one subspecies.-Description:...
s, European Green Woodpeckers, and the Eurasian Nuthatch
Eurasian Nuthatch
The Eurasian Nuthatch, Sitta europaea, is a small passerine found throughout temperate Europe and Asia, although not in Ireland. It belongs to the nuthatch family Sittidae....
which claims this latitude as its northernmost range in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
An on-site warden at the park (http://www.chillinghamwildcattle.com) leads small groups on foot to find the Chillingham cattle herd; on some days they are evident in one of the easily accessible meadows, while on other days they are virtually impossible to find, given the tangled woodlands and the amount of space they have for roaming. Just to the east of the park is the summit of Ros Hill
Ros Hill
Ros Hill, also known as Ros Castle due to the 3,000-year-old Iron Age hill fort on its summit, is a hill in the county of Northumberland in northern England. It is the highest point of a low range of hills stretching from Alnwick to Berwick-upon-Tweed - the Chillingham Hills. Other tops of the...
. The cattle are not visible from this viewpoint, which does however give an impressive view over much of north Northumberland. With support from Defra, a network of paths has been created around the periphery of Chillingham Park (http://countrywalks.defra.gov.uk).
Ancestry and history of the Chillingham Cattle
According to earlier publicity material produced by the Chillingham Wild Cattle Association, Chillingham Cattle bear some similarities to the extinct ancestral species AurochsAurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
, Bos primigenius primigenius, based upon cranial
Skull
The skull is a bony structure in the head of many animals that supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.The skull is composed of two parts: the cranium and the mandible. A skull without a mandible is only a cranium. Animals that have skulls are called craniates...
geometrics and the positioning of their horns relative to the skull formation. They further claim that Chillingham Wild Cattle may be direct descendants of the primordial ox which "which roamed these islands before the dawn of history"; moreover, according to Tankerville, these characteristics differed from the cattle brought into England by the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. It is also possible that they are descended from medieval husbanded cattle that were impounded when Chillingham Park was enclosed. In the absence of adequate genetic or archaeological evidence, these proposed origins must remain purely speculative.
The first written record of the herd dates from 1645 but the Chillingham herd is claimed by some to have been in this same site for at least seven centuries. Before the 13th century, this breed is claimed to have “roamed the great forest which extended from the North Sea coast to the Clyde estuary” according to the Countess of Tankerville. During the 13th century, the King of England licensed Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Castle is a medieval castle in the village of Chillingham in the northern part of Northumberland, England. It was the seat of the Grey family and their descendants the Earls of Tankerville from the 13th century until the 1980s. The Chillingham Wild Cattle, formerly associated with the...
to become “castellated and crenolated” and a drystone wall
Dry stone
Dry stone is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their unique construction method, which is characterized by the presence of a load-bearing facade of carefully selected interlocking...
may well have been built then to enclose the herd. At that time, there was particular concern about Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
marauders, which explains also the massive build-up of fortification of the nearby Dunstanburgh Castle
Dunstanburgh Castle
Dunstanburgh Castle lies on a spectacular headland on the coast of Northumberland in northern England, between the villages of Craster and Embleton....
at the same time.
The wall that visitors see at Chillingham was built in the early 19th century to enclose the 1500 acres (607 ha) of Chillingham Park. As of 2009, the cattle have 330 acres (133.5 ha) to roam and the rest of the ground is woodland or farmland.
Genetics
Chillingham bulls contributed genetically to White ParkWhite Park
The White Park is a rare breed of horned cattle with ancient herds preserved in Great Britain.-Description:...
herds in the early 20th century, but the Chillingham herd has remained pure. Some degree of genetic affinity between Chillingham and White Park cattle would therefore be predicted, but this has not been investigated.
Dr. J. G. Hall of the Edinburgh Animal Breeding Research Organisation studied the blood groups of the Chillingham herd The herd was found to be remarkably homozygous, and this is what would be expected from their long history of inbreeding. These findings were confirmed in a later microsatellite DNA study Mitochondrial DNA studies have not yet been conducted.
Behaviour
The Chillingham cattle herd are not domesticated in any way, and are wild animals. Their behaviour may therefore give some insight into the behaviour of ancestral wild cattleAurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
.
They breed all year round and bulls occupy and share "home territories" with other members of the herd, as well as many as two or three other bulls. Home ranges overlap and are not thought of as defended territories although bulls participate in sparring matches with their home range partners.
Modern history
In 1939, the Chillingham Wild Cattle Association Limited was formed to study and protect these special creatures. However the herd’s population decreased, and reached a minimum in the unusually hard winter of 1946-1947, which only 13 animals survived. Upon the death of Lord Tankerville in 1971 the Chillingham herd was bequeathed to the Association; however, when the estate was sold in 1980, with the help of Duke of NorthumberlandHenry Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland
Henry Alan Walter Richard Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland FRS was the son of Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland. He was a godchild of Queen Elizabeth II.He was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford...
the Park was purchased by the Sir James Knott Trust (a philanthropic organisation dedicated to protecting Northumberland for the benefit of all). It was then managed by the Knott Trust's agents: College Valley Estates (CVE). CVE granted a 999 year lease of the park to the association. In 2005, after a fund-raising campaign, the association purchased the park and surrounding woodlands. Thus, the herd and the park were reunited under the same ownership. Soon after, the association was able to purchase the sheep grazing rights, which were owned by a neighbour. The flock was removed, and this means a programme of remediation of the pasture and trees can be put into effect.
In July 2009, the herd numbers 85 animals. There is also a small reserve herd of about 20 head located on Crown Estates land near Fochabers
Fochabers
Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, not far from the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. Around 2,000 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history...
in north-east Scotland.
See also
- AurochsAurochsThe aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
- Heck CattleHeck cattleHeck Cattle are a hardy breed of domestic cattle. They are the result of an attempt to breed back the aurochs, which became extinct in 1627, from modern aurochs-derived cattle...
- Caledonian ForestCaledonian ForestThe Caledonian Forest is the name of a type of woodland that once covered vast areas of Scotland. Today, however, only 1% of the original forest survives, covering in 84 locations. The forests are home to a wide variety of wildlife, much of which is not found elsewhere in the British...
- White Park CattleWhite ParkThe White Park is a rare breed of horned cattle with ancient herds preserved in Great Britain.-Description:...
External links
- Chillingham Wild Cattle Association
- "Bos Primigenius in Britain: Or, Why Do Fairy Cows Have Red Ears?" by Jessica Hemming, Folklore Magazine, April 2002
- Rare Breeds Survival Trust watch list, Category 1: Critical
- The Crown Estate's Fochabers estate, home to the reserve herd
- http://webpages.lincoln.ac.uk/sthall/chillinghambibliog.doc Academic bibliography on Chillingham Park and the wild cattle