One of the events Gloucester – and specifically Brockworth – is most famous for is the Cheese Rolling, which takes place on Cooper’s Hill on late May Bank Holiday Monday. Despite it being an ‘unofficial’ event, huge crowds gather to watch daredevils risk life and limb by chasing a 3kg wheel of cheese down the scarily steep slopes of the hill.

People travel from abroad to watch it (and some to take part) and the spectacle has been viewed millions of times on YouTube. The tradition’s place in popular culture has been cemented by the development of a Cheese Rolling computer game on the Steam gaming platform. 2026 marks the 200th anniversary of the first written proof of the event taking place – a letter to the town crier – although the tradition is believed to date back much further than that, possibly 600 years.

The manufacture of Double Gloucester cheese was revived in the 1970s

The cheese being rolled down the hill is a Double Gloucester, made for the last 25 years by Smarts Traditional Gloucester Cheeses. Double Gloucester and its sister Single Gloucester cheese are made from the milk of Gloucester Cattle. The manufacture of Gloucester cheeses died out in the 1950s, along with most of the Gloucester Cattle breed, but was revived in the 1970s by cheesemaker Charles Martell of Dymock, who is best known for his ‘Stinking Bishop’ product of Wallace and Gromit fame.

Another place in Gloucester with historic cheese connections is Llanthony Secunda Priory. The Priory was known for making cheese, with its products being given as gifts to royalty. In 1502, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Prior of Llanthony presented it as a gift to Elizabeth of York, the wife of Henry VII. In 1530, the prior sent ‘cheese, carp and baked lampreys’ to King Henry VIII.

To celebrate Gloucester’s cheese traditions, the Priory is holding a Cheese and Cider Day on Saturday 23rd May – the same weekend as the cheese rolling. It is a family-friendly open day which brings together local producers, traditional entertainment and hands-on activities for all ages. There is also a special ticketed tasting event in the evening. Check the Llanthony Secunda Priory website for more details: www.llanthonysecunda.org.