Portland sheep on BBC's Countryfile

12:00pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010
By Martin Lea

THE famous rare breed of Portland sheep will be the focus of a BBC television programme after an island farmer took delivery of some lambs.

Su Illsley, who has the only flock on the island at Southwell, was visited by Countryfile presenter Adam Henson who took along some animals as well as a camera crew.

As well as making some interesting television, the idea of the flock is to bolster the stock to keep Portland sheep on the island for years to come.

The breed is currently listed as ‘at risk’ by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

The programme’s Mr Henson is director of Cotswold Farm Park which pioneers rare breed conservation.

It was started by his father Joe Henson in the late 1960s when many of the UK’s traditional breeds were faced with imminent extinction.

Mr Henson spent two days on Portland and as well as spending time with Mrs Illsley he visited various locations on the island, ate mutton sandwiches supplied by Steve Gould of Wyke Regis and interviewed breed historian Norman Jones, who lives near Lyme Regis.

Mrs Illsley said: “It was great. It was interesting to talk to Adam – he really knows his stuff.

“This will all help to put Portland back on the map. We could do with some good news.”

Mrs Illsley and her husband Jon have knowledge of animal husbandry but they regard running the farm as just a hobby. As well as their 20 breeding ewes they have goats, chickens, and ducks.

They took on Fancys Farm last year to ensure the future of the Portland sheep on the island and it has always been their intention to boost numbers.

Mrs Illsley said: “There used to be 3,000 Portland sheep on the island centuries ago.

“Now there’s only 1,500 of them in the whole country.

“They’re not commercially viable because they take so long to grow. They have to be at least 18 months old before they’re big enough for slaughter. It’s more of a connoisseur’s meat. Apparently Portland mutton was the only meat King George III would eat when he was here.”

* The Portland sheep will feature on Countryfile on BBC1 at 6pm on Sunday, February 14.

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/4887263.Portland_sheep_on_BBC_s_Countryfile/
(Submitted by Mark North)