Starting in mid-March the Coach & Livestock Department will be featuring Rare Breeds at Market Square. We will be bringing some of our Leicester Longwool Sheep to the market 5 days a week from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Other livestock like chickens, cattle and horses may also make appearances!
While the roughly 45 ewes and rams in our breeding flock earn their keep by producing lambs, four wethers (castrated males) have been chosen to become animal ambassadors for CW. These four wethers were all born here last year and have been training to go to Market Square for the past two months. These guys will give guests, especially children, an opportunity to get up close and personal with this uncommon breed.
Sheep in the 18th century were not usually named, so ours typically don’t get named either. Instead, they all have unique ear tags engraved with ID numbers based on the year and order of their birth. However, some sheep stand out enough to get more personal identifications—like our adorable triplets last year guests dubbed Yorkie, Willie, and Jamie (after the Historic triangle).
I should point out that a few 18th-century sheep did have names, like Robert Bakewell’s prized Leicester Longwool ram, Two-Pounder (this ram even had his portrait painted). We think our animal ambassadors are good candidates for names too, and we need your help! Leave your suggestions in the comments section below the blog and be sure to indicate which name goes with which sheep. We’ll announce the winners on March 7.
Photo Credit: The Royal Agricultural University Collection
Without Further Ado… Meet Our Sheep!
15-04: He’s the bad boy of the group and is the oldest and biggest of the four. This guy is always the last to come over when called and doesn’t tolerate feisty dogs—giving them the stink eye and a stamp of the foot. His fleece looks a little different from the others because he was the only one in this group big enough to shear last August. Update: 15-04 is now Colonel Pendleton!
15-16: This is the son of one of the friendliest ewes in our flock. He likes to eat alfalfa hay and grain, and is very calm on walks around town. He likes to be a follower rather than a leader. Pretty mellow dude. Update: 15-16 is now Carter!
15-20: He is the only one in the group with a twin sister. This breed of sheep usually produces twins in half of all births. This little guy is the friendliest of the group—happy to either lead or follow, depending on the situation. Either way, he’s always on the run. Update: 15-20 is now Lafayette!
15-21: Finally, allow us to introduce the youngest and smallest of the group. This little guy is also the shyest. He prefers to follow his bigger buddies around town and we must say, he has some pretty cool hair! He always seems to pose and knows his best angle. Update: 15-21 is now Dapper Dandy!
Photo credit to Colonial Williamsburg Photographer Dave Doody—the Sheep Whisperer
For those of you who look forward to Sheep Week every year, we want to mention that we will still hold a separate naming contest for our lambs, the first of which are set to arrive in March. Mark your calendars for the week of April 11 when our sheep will take over social media!
GUEST BLOGGER: LAYNE ANDERSON
Layne Anderson is a Livestock Husbander/Interpreter in the Coach and Livestock Department. She has a long history with the Colonial Capital. Not only did she study Biology at the College of William & Mary, but her maternal grandparents, parents, and sister all attended as well. She spent her youth coming to Colonial Williamsburg for field trips and family vacations. After graduating, Layne left Virginia to work in the field of wildlife conservation, but returned to Williamsburg in 2013 after her husband landed a job in the Tin Shop. She joined the Foundation herself in 2014 and loves her position because she can pursue her interests in animal husbandry, Rare Breeds conservation, and history.
Without WAR Goodwin, there would be no CW. So all of the sheep should be bestowed with one of his names.
15-04 Archer
15-16 William
15-20 Goodwin
15-21 Rutherfoord
John, Paul, George, & Ben: not only is it the name of a children’s book (and a great one by Lane Smith!) but the founders…John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin. It’s also close enough to the Beatles that you could call them the “Fab Four”.
15-04 Big Mike
15-16 Laid Back Larry
15-20 Freddie
15-21 Sammie
15-4 - Hamilton
15-6 - Jefferson
15-20 - Lafayette
15-21 - Burr
William
Curtis
Delma
Since the breed is Leicester Longwool, I chose names associated with the history of Leicestershire
15-04 Richard (after King Richard III, whose remains were discovered in Leicester)
15-16 Leir (after the legendary king of the Britons and founder of Leicester)
15-20 Wolsey (after Cardinal Thomas Wolsey who is buried in the Leicester Cathedral)
15-21 Dudley (after Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester)
15-04 “EWE”lysses S. Grant -after our 18th president! Grant was also the Commanding General over the US Army. In 1892 he and his troops took control of Kentucky and most of Tennessee. This earned him a reputation as an aggressive commander and he was deemed stubborn and hard-headed by his subordinates. His presidency often falls under scrutiny for alligations of corruption. Maybe he should have “stuck with a better flock” 😀
15-04 Angus
15-16 Alec
15-20 Ariel
1521- Alfie
McCormick (Mick)
Jefferson (TJ)
MacArthur (Mac)
Woodrow (Woodie)
15-04 Samuel Whittemore
15-04 William Wallace
15-16 Dude
15-20 Bertie
15-21 Pretty Boy
15-04, DUKE (since he is nota fan of dogs and Duke of Gloustire stree is known as dog I thought name each after
streets)
15-16 FRANCIS (friendly and nice and of course francis street is so quiet relaxing and nice like this sheep
a little of Saint francis)
15-20 LAFAYETTE (Must pay tribute to our French friend and honorary son of GW)
15-21 PRINCE GEORGE (He poses like a prince)
I was thinking along the same lines as Mr. Christenson who said to give the sheep historic peoples names so you could give a little history lesson when people asked about their names.
15-04 Benny (Ben Franklin, the bad boy and rebel.)
15-16 Georgie (George Wythe, quiet brilliant man)
15-20 Tommy (Thomas Jefferson, knew everyone; quiet but friendly)
15-21 Eddy (Edward Rutledge) youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence
The Bahhhh-ber Shop Quartet:
Atticus
Reginald
Perseus
Fezzick
15-04 Franky
15-20 Nicky
15-16 Wally and
15-21 Blair
Named after four of the the streets we love to walk on!
Names in order to match those pictures
Larry
Moe
Curly
Shemp
15-04 Angus
15-16 Remy
15-20 Brenner
15-21 Dandy
15-04 = Murtagh
15-16 = Sherlock
15-20 = Friend
15-21 = Neptune
A fellow Outlander! 😉
He he he….. 🙂
15-04 Trumbald (Strong or Bold)
15-16 Pax (From a Peaceful Farm)
15-20 Beatie (Bringer of Joy)
15-21 Wyn (Handsome)
15-20 Dasher
15-21 Shag
15-04 Magnus
15-16 Dudley
15-20 Bonzai
15-21 Mortimer
15-16 - Mikey, after my sweet whether!! ☺
Sorry…wether!! 😁
15-04 Coronel Pendleton
15-16 Mr. Fluffing
15-20 Four-Step McGee
15-21 Dapper Dandy
From my two daugthers, ages 8 and 10, who love Hamilton: Alexander, Aaron, Hercules, and Gilbert.
15-04: Randy (Peyton Randolph) who was a “large” man and a Leader
15-16: Jeff (Jefferson)
15-20: Henry (Patrick Henry)
15-21: Madison ( Known for being small in stature)
15-04 Leonardo, he has the facial expression and fierceness of a lion
15-04 Patrick (for Mr. Henry)
15-16 Tommy (for Mr. Jefferson)
15-20 George (for Mr. Washington)
15-21 Wooliam (for Wooliamsburg)
15-04: Ranger
15-16: Mellow
15-20: Newton
15-21: Snappy
They are all unique and beautiful animals in their own right!
Felice - Duke O’Dell - Colonel - Wethers -
Sheep!!!!
15-04 Bingham
15-16 Zimri
15-20 Jabez
15-21 Levi
(Names of 4 of my patriots!)
15-04: Fitzwilliam
15-16: Pip Pirrip
15-20: Atticus
15-21: Dandy
John
Goodwin
Wallace
Goodwin
Names represent 4 people instrumental in the restoration of CW - ‘that the future may learn from the past’.
John D. Rockefeller, WAR Goodwin, W.R. DeWitt Wallace, Forrest Mars
15-04 Wellington
15-04 Apollo
15-16 James
15-20 Thomas
15-21 Logan
Patrick (Henry)
Robert (Carter)
Gowan (Pamphlet)
Mathew (Ashby)
15-04 Chowning
15-16 Wetherburn
15-20 Raleigh
15-21 Campbell
Name after important, but less known patriots of Virginia:
Richard for Richard Henry Lee
Frank for Francis Lightfoot Lee, he and Richard are the only two brothers to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas for Thomas Nelson Jr. 4th Governor of Virginia and soldier
George for George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights that shaped the U.S. Bill of Rights.
When people ask the names of the sheep, a mini history lesson can be included to acquaint folks with the significant contributions of these patriots. I also like the idea of naming after the major donors who were/are so instrumental in keeping Williamsburg alive.
Woolsworth
Mercer
Jeb - ‘Minecraft’ sheep name
(Cotton) Malone - the main charachter in many Steve Berry Books
15-04: Charlie Sheep
15-16: Alfalfa
15-20: Lord Woolsey
15-21: Zoolander
Emory, Oliver, Benedict and Alder
15-04: Sly
15-16: Puff
15-20: Gryffin
15-21: RC
John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
I would like to honor those who gave us Williamsburg and continue with their generosity.
15-04, Rocky for Mr. Rockefeller
15-16 Goodwin
15-20 Mars for the Mars family and theit contributions
15-21 Campbell for the previous president of the CW Foundation ( and also for our favorite interpreter, Christiana Campbell)
I love these!
Names, in this order:
Archie
Dougal
Tristan
Hero