Andy Montoya
The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, England. The event involves participants racing down a hill chasing a wheel of cheese, with the first person to reach the bottom of the hill winning the cheese. The cheese used is a 7–9-pound (3–4-kilogram) wheel of hard cow's milk cheese, made from the milk of Gloucester cows. While the exact origins of the event are unknown, it is believed to be at least 600 years old, with the first written evidence found in a message to the Gloucester town crier in 1826.
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What You'll Learn
Double Gloucester is the cheese used for the annual event
The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, Brockworth, near Gloucester, England. The event has a long tradition, held by the people of the village, but now people from a wide range of countries take part in the competition. The cheese used for this annual event is a 7–9-pound (3–4-kilogram) wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. It is a hard cheese traditionally made in a circular shape. Each cheese is protected by a wooden casing and decorated with ribbons at the start of the race.
Double Gloucester is a hard cow's milk cheese made from the milk of Gloucester cows, Britain's oldest breed. It is aged for 6 months and has a buttery flavour and a crumbly texture. It is less tangy than cheddar and has a golden glow from annatto seeds.
During the event, the cheese is sent rolling down the hill, and competitors race downhill after it. The first person over the finish line wins the cheese, although the cheese is never caught due to its high speed. The event is dangerous, with competitors rarely managing to stay upright, and there have been reports of people breaking bones.
The origins of the event are uncertain, but it is believed to be at least 600 years old. The first written evidence of cheese rolling is found in a message written to the Gloucester town crier in 1826, and it was already considered an old tradition at that time. The event may have pagan origins, with one theory suggesting that it marked the start of summer.
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The cheese wheel is 7-9 pounds, with a head start
The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, Brockworth, near Gloucester, England. The event has a long tradition and is believed to be at least six hundred years old. The first written evidence of cheese rolling is found in a message written to the Gloucester town crier in 1826.
The cheese used in the event is a 7–9-pound (3–4-kilogram) wheel of Double Gloucester, a hard cheese traditionally made in a circular shape. It is sent rolling down the 200-yard (180-metre) hill, with a slope of around 50% (26.6 degrees). The competitors then start racing down the hill after the cheese, aiming to catch it. However, the cheese has a head start of around one second and can reach high speeds, making it difficult to catch.
The winner of the race is the first person to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill, and they are awarded the cheese as a prize. Multiple races are held throughout the day, with separate events for men and women. The event also includes uphill races, which are less hazardous and are open to minors.
The cheese used in the event is decorated with ribbons and protected by a wooden casing. In recent years, a foam replica has sometimes been used instead of a real cheese for safety reasons. The cheese rolling tradition is believed to have pagan origins, possibly involving the rolling of burning brushwood to represent the New Year.
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The cheese is never caught, but the first person to finish wins
The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, near Gloucester, England. The event has a long tradition, held by the people of the village, but now people from a wide range of countries take part in the competition. The Guardian in 2013 called it a "world-famous event," with winners coming from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States.
The cheese used in the event is a 7–9-pound (3–4-kilogram) wheel of Double Gloucester, a hard cheese traditionally made in a circular shape. The cheese is sent rolling down the hill from the top, and competitors then start racing down the hill after it. The competitors aim to catch the cheese, but it has a head start and can reach high speeds, enough to knock over and injure a spectator. In fact, the cheese rarely gets caught, but the first person to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill wins the cheese.
The event is not for the faint-hearted, as Cooper's Hill is a very steep, eroding hill, with loose rocks, twigs, and stinging nettles on the way down. Participants rarely manage to stay upright, and there is a real potential for injury—protective clothing is strongly recommended! While there haven't been any known deaths, there have been reports of people breaking bones and even getting zapped by lightning!
The origins of the event are uncertain, but it is believed to be at least six hundred years old. The first written evidence of cheese rolling is found in a message written to the Gloucester town crier in 1826, and even then, it was apparent that the event was an old tradition. Two possible origins have been proposed: it may have evolved from a requirement for maintaining grazing rights, or it may have pagan origins, with bundles of burning brushwood rolled down the hill to represent the birth of the New Year.
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The event takes place at Cooper's Hill, Gloucestershire
The event takes place annually, on the Spring Bank Holiday, and attracts thousands of spectators and competitors from all over the world. The competitors race downhill after a wheel of cheese, which is sent rolling with a head start. The cheese is a hard cow's milk cheese, aged for 6 months, with a buttery flavour and a crumbly texture. It is decorated with ribbons and protected by a wooden casing. The winner of the race is the first person to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill, and they win the cheese as a prize.
The event has a long history, with the first written evidence found in a message to the Gloucester town crier in 1826. However, it was clearly a long-standing tradition at that point, and it is believed to be at least 600 years old. It may have evolved from a requirement for maintaining grazing rights or have pagan origins, with bundles of burning brushwood rolled down the hill to represent the New Year.
The event is not organised by any official body, and there is no insurance, so participants take part entirely at their own risk. Despite the dangers, people continue to be drawn to the event, which combines a cheese rolling race with a festive gathering.
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The tradition is believed to be at least 600 years old
The Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is an annual event held on the Spring Bank Holiday at Cooper's Hill, Brockworth, near Gloucester, England. The event is believed to be at least 600 years old, with the first written evidence of cheese rolling found in a message to the Gloucester town crier in 1826. The message indicated that the event was an old tradition, and it is thought that the custom may have pagan origins, with bundles of burning brushwood rolled down the hill to represent the birth of the New Year.
The cheese used in the event is a 7-9 pound (3-4 kilogram) wheel of Double Gloucester, a hard cheese made from cow's milk. It is aged for 6 months and has a buttery flavour and a crumbly texture. The cheese is sent rolling down a 200-yard-long hill, and competitors race after it, aiming to catch it and reach the finish line first. The event has a long tradition and was originally held by the people of the village, but now attracts participants and spectators from around the world.
The cheese-rolling event is known for its danger and excitement, with competitors often sustaining injuries such as broken legs or concussions. The physical risk is part of the thrill of competing and has been a tradition for centuries. The event has faced safety concerns and was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The cheese used in the event is traditionally decorated with ribbons and protected by a wooden casing. It is supplied by local cheesemakers, with a history of being made by the Smart family from their Churcham farm. The winner of the cheese-rolling competition receives the wheel of cheese as a prize, along with bragging rights and the coveted title of cheese champion.
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Frequently asked questions
A hard cow's milk cheese called Double Gloucester is used for cheese rolling.
The cheese wheel used for cheese rolling weighs between 7 and 9 pounds (3 to 4 kilograms).
Double Gloucester cheese has a round and buttery flavor and is less tangy than cheddar. It has a crumbly texture and melts into gooey greatness when heated.
The winner of the cheese rolling race gets to take home the cheese wheel. In 2012, the winner said that the cheese makes for a superior grilled cheese sandwich experience.
