The Centuries of Stilton

Drink a pot of ale, eat a scoop of Stilton, every day, you will make 'old bones'. Nineteenth-century saying, Wymondham

The Centuries of Stilton™ --
Stilton was first made in the early 18th century in the midlands of England. Specifically in and around the Melton Mowbray area. Stilton takes its name from the village of Stilton (though no Stilton was ever made there) located about 70 miles north of London on the Great North Road. It is here that the coaches traveling from London to Scotland and other northern cities made their first stop for fresh horses and overnight stays. Convenient to Melton Mowbray and the surrounding area, the village became the center market place for the cheese with thousands being sold every week. Thus the blue cheese one would buy in Stilton became known as Stilton cheese.

The Bell Inn, Stilton

According to Stilton historian, Mr. Trevor Hickman, resident of Wymondham (why-mon-dum) in east Leicestershire, the background of the cheese is somewhat cloudy however, "a blue-veined cream cheese from cow's milk was produced by farmers at Wymondham as soon as pastures were enclosed within the open-field system." The first written reference to Stilton cheese was in William Stukeley’s Itinerarium Curiosum, letter V, dated October 1722. Other references made about the same time clearly indicate that Stilton was a hot item even then.

Frances Pawlett, a skilled cheese maker, of Wymondham, is credited as the person who gave Stilton its first quality and shape standards. Her skill at cheese making and her husband’s business acumen led to the first marketing cooperative in the area for Stilton. Frances would come to set the standards other cheese makers would need to meet for “blued cream cheese” good enough to be marketed as Stilton. Along with the help of Cooper Thornhill, owner of the famous Bell Inn of Stilton, the Pawletts helped build the trade in Stilton cheese to record levels.

Today Stilton is made much the same way as it was in the 1700’s. In 1936 an organization, The Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association, was formed to maintain the quality standards and protect the trademark of Stilton. Stilton is a trademark and a PDO (protected designation of origin) cheese. This PDO status means true Stilton can only be made by authorized creameries operating only in the three counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Over a million cheeses a year are made by the seven creameries which are authorized to make Stilton.

The toll gate at Stilton, circa 1880.

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		Drink a pot of ale, eat a scoop of Stilton, every day, you will make 'old bones'. Nineteenth-century saying, Wymondham

		The Centuries of Stilton™ -- Stilton was first made in the early 18th century in the midlands of England. Specifically in and around the Melton Mowbray area. Stilton takes its name from the village of Stilton (though no Stilton was ever made there) located about 70 miles north of London on the Great North Road. It is here that the coaches traveling from London to Scotland and other northern cities made their first stop for fresh horses and overnight stays. Convenient to Melton Mowbray and the surrounding area, the village became the center market place for the cheese with thousands being sold every week. Thus the blue cheese one would buy in Stilton became known as Stilton cheese.
	The Bell Inn, Stilton
According to Stilton historian, Mr. Trevor Hickman, resident of Wymondham (why-mon-dum) in east Leicestershire, the background of the cheese is somewhat cloudy however, "a blue-veined cream cheese from cow's milk was produced by farmers at Wymondham as soon as pastures were enclosed within the open-field system." The first written reference to Stilton cheese was in William Stukeley’s Itinerarium Curiosum, letter V, dated October 1722. Other references made about the same time clearly indicate that Stilton was a hot item even then. Frances Pawlett, a skilled cheese maker, of Wymondham, is credited as the person who gave Stilton its first quality and shape standards. Her skill at cheese making and her husband’s business acumen led to the first marketing cooperative in the area for Stilton. Frances would come to set the standards other cheese makers would need to meet for “blued cream cheese” good enough to be marketed as Stilton. Along with the help of Cooper Thornhill, owner of the famous Bell Inn of Stilton, the Pawletts helped build the trade in Stilton cheese to record levels.


Today Stilton is made much the same way as it was in the 1700’s. In 1936 an organization, The Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association, was formed to maintain the quality standards and protect the trademark of Stilton. Stilton is a trademark and a PDO (protected designation of origin) cheese. This PDO status means true Stilton can only be made by authorized creameries operating only in the three counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Over a million cheeses a year are made by the seven creameries which are authorized to make Stilton.

			The toll gate at Stilton, circa 1880.