Tamworth pigs
The Tamworth pig is easy to spot because of its beautiful red-gold hair! They have the longest snout of any pig breed today, which is why people call them “a plough on four legs”! Their ears stand up, making them look extra alert.
Tamworth pigs are tough and can live in many different places, from rough grasslands to meadows. The female pigs, called sows, are great mothers! They are very gentle, produce lots of milk, and protect their babies.
West of England goose
The male and female differ in colour, making it easy to tell them apart. The Gander (male) is white, while the goose (female) is grey and white. This is even true when goslings hatch; the females have grey patches on the beak while the male has a plain orange beak. Both the goose and the gander have an orange bill, legs and webs.
Shire horse
Lady Rhona is a stunning Shire horse. She joined us in April 2018, coming to us from another attraction. She enjoys meeting visitors and likes to pop her head above the stable door in our Children’s Barn.
Shire horses are big and strong, but they’re also really calm and friendly. A long time ago, they were called the “Great Horse” because they carried knights in heavy armour into battle! Before machines were invented, Shires helped on farms by plowing the fields. When machines took over, Shire horses weren’t needed as much anymore, which is how they became a rare breed.
Lady Rhona is 17.2 hands tall—really big for a horse! She might seem a little rude at first, but once she gets to know you, she shows her sweet, gentle side. Scratch her shoulder or bum, and she’ll be your best friend!
If you spend all day at the farm you will see Rhona grazing in the paddock near the carpark at the beginning or end of the day.
Photo credit: Piers Golden 2018
Speckled Sussex chicken
A popular backyard chicken due to its gentle and friendly nature.
Is a dual purpose breed as it is good for both meat and egg production.
The Sussex comes in eight colours (Brown, Buff, Light, Red, Speckled, Silver, White and Coronation). The speckled variety is a rich mahagony colour with greenish black speckles.
Java Sparrow
A small bird at 15-17cm long, Java Sparrows live in flocks. Adults have distinct white cheeks, a black head, and a thick red bill. They have grey or fawn plumage and pink feet. They feed on rice fields in the wild and other seeds. You can visit these pretty birds in our aviary on the farm.
Wiltshire sheep
Possibly introduced by the Romans, the Wiltshire sheep is a native breed from Wiltshire. It is unusual among native breeds because of its ability to shed its wool in spring, alleviating the need for shearing. The rising price of wool and a move away from horned sheep resulted in a decline in popularity during the 19th and 20th centuries. The breed was saved from extinction by a small group of enthusiastic breeders who formed the Wiltshire Horn Sheep Society in 1923. In the 1970’s the breed came under the protection of the RBST because numbers were so low.
The sheep who didn’t like orchids
As well as being able to shed its own wool the Wiltshire Horn has other talents. In 2011, a flock of Wiltshire Horns were borrowed by Network Rail to graze a railway cutting that was home to wild orchids and other flora. The sheep were used to clear the scrub without harming other plants and left the orchids alone. They seem to be natural conservationists and land management specialists too.
English Longhorn cattle
Meet our English Longhorns: Margot, Vienna, Wilma, Willow, Zeus, Zendaya, Zach and Zoe plus Gimli the Bull. You can find all of them in cattle shed.
English Longhorn is an ancient breed with large sweeping horns; it came close to extinction in the middle of the 20th century.
They are one of our largest native cattle breeds; with the cows (females) weighing 700-750kg and the bulls often over 1 tonne (1000-1100kg).
The body may be a variety of brindle colours but all have the characteristic white line along the back and down the tail. The horns usually sweep and curve forwards and as the name suggests can grow to great lengths. They are excellent mothers, give birth very easily and are docile and easy to manage.
In 2024 we welcomed our new, handsome bull to the herd – Gimli. In the video below, see our English Longhorns making their way back in the field. Follow our TikTok channel to see more fun videos of animals on our farm.
@rarebreedscentre All the cattle enjoying being in their field #longhorn #longhorns #cattle #fyp #fypp
Border Leicester Sheep
We were excited to welcome the Border Leicester sheep to the farm in 2024! These big, friendly sheep originally come from Northumberland. They are great mums and have super calm personalities. What makes them really special are their cute, rabbit-like ears that stand up and their Roman-shaped noses. They’re easy to spot and are often shown off at special events!
Their soft wool is also very special, as it’s shiny and takes dye really well, which makes it a favourite for spinners.
Find out more about Border Leicesters from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust’s (RBST’s) website.
Oxford Sandy and Black
Meet Ivy and Fig, our Oxford Sandy and Black pigs! They are one of Britain’s oldest pig breeds. Known for their friendly nature, they have a special reddish colour that has earned them the cute nickname “Plum Pudding Pig”.
Sadly, this breed almost disappeared twice! But thanks to some caring breeders, they have been saved and are still around today, though there aren’t many of them left.
In July 2025, Ivy gave birth to her first litter!
This litter represents an exciting milestone for our farm team. Not only are Oxford Sandy and Blacks one of the oldest native British pig breeds, which are listed as ‘At Risk’ by the RBST, but Ivy’s piglets were born thanks to successful AI methods (artificial insemination), which is a first for our farm.
We can now actively help grow the population of these friendly “Plum Pudding Pigs” as they’re also known. without needing to find a male boar every time.
So it’s a big win for the breed, a happy time for Ivy who can now relax with her babies, and a proud moment for our farming team. Visitors are welcome to come and see Ivy and her piglets in the Children’s Barn. Remember to be calm and quiet around them so mum and babies can rest and bond in peace.
You can see Ivy with her tiny babies in a YouTube video by clicking the image below.
British Alpine goat
Meet Guiness, our friendly British Alpine goat! You’ll find him in the Children’s Barn, and he loves visitors, so don’t be shy!
British Alpine goats are a large breed of goat with shiny black fur and white or creamy markings on their face and legs. If you look closely, you might see something funny on their chins. They have little dangly bits called toggles, something most goats have. Both boy and girl goats can have them. No one knows exactly why they’re there, but they might be leftover from a body part goats don’t need anymore!