Most probably brought to England by the Romans, the classic Cotswold sheep (often referred to as the Cotswold Lion) plays an important part in farming life due to the importance of its wool (fleece) and meat.  The fleece of the Cotswold was famous throughout Europe that it gained the name: The Golden Fleece. 

The name "Cotswold" was given to the breed because in the early days they were folded or housed in shelters known locally as "cots" or "cotes" and they were pastured on the wild, treeless hills of the area, called "wolds".  Although once nearly on the brink of extinction the Cotswold is popular once again and numbers are rising, although it is still categorised as "minority" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust of the U.K.. 

The Cotswold is a longwool breed and is one of the largest British breeds. 

Average Life Span: 10-20 years
Gestation Period: 5 months (150 days)