Gloucester

Gloucester cheese includes two main varieties: Single Gloucester and Double Gloucester, alongside lesser-known types like Sage Gloucester, Cotswold, and Double Berkeley. Originating from Gloucestershire, England—a region spanning the River Severn—these cheeses benefit from the lush meadows ideal for dairy farming. Historically, local farmers milked Old Gloucester cows, a breed closely linked to the region's cheesemaking heritage. In 1796, William Marshall documented these distinctive cows and the variable cheesemaking techniques passed down through generations in his "Rural Economy of Gloucestershire."

Double Gloucester, known for its rich fat content, was a favorite among affluent city dwellers due to its durability during long journeys by horse-drawn wagon and ship, reaching as far as America and New Zealand. In contrast, Single Gloucester, often made from partly skimmed milk, was a staple for the less affluent. Dubbed "hay cheese" for its winter production, it was primarily consumed locally as its fragile nature made transportation risky.

By the mid-twentieth century, some Gloucestershire residents had never tasted Double Gloucester, reserved for sale to sustain farm incomes, while families subsisted on the less desirable Single Gloucester. Today, Single Gloucester is protected by PDO status, limited to Gloucestershire farms with Old Gloucester cows, while Double Gloucester, lacking specific legal protection, is produced broadly, both by traditional methods and on an industrial scale across Britain.