Wensleydale - Hawes

Before 1500/1600 Wensleydale was made with ewes', rather than cows', milk, and often contained blueing. (A blue cows' milk Wensleydale is usually available from us at Christmas). It was also the tradition up to Victorian times to add 'black snails' (possibly leeches?) to the milk to cause it to curdle, instead of using conventional rennet.