Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £2.90 through £17.40
Visually striking, texturally playful, and flavour-balanced, it sits right between novelty and tradition. Whether it’s on a festive cheeseboard, packed into a picnic, or paired with a chilled glass of wine at the end of the day, it’s one of Britain’s most cheerful and crowd-pleasing cheeses.
Wensleydale with Cranberries is such a success because it really highlights what makes the original cheese so special: its freshness, gentle acidity, and welcoming character. The added fruit doesn’t overpower the cheese; it lets it shine.
To make Wensleydale, you start with pasteurised cow’s milk, add cultures and rennet, and then cut the curd. It’s stirred gently to keep some moisture and to give that lovely open, crumbly texture. Unlike cheddar, it isn’t pressed or cheddared, so it stays light and crumbly rather than dense.
For the cranberry version, sweetened dried cranberries are mixed right through the curds before the cheese is moulded. The cheese is only matured for a short time, so the cranberries stay dotted all the way through the pale ivory cheese. It always looks so cheerful when you cut into it.
The end result is always a treat for the eyes: clean white cheese marbled with those vibrant crimson cranberries. Even before you taste it, you know you’re in for something special.
Yorkshire Wensleydale has a long and rather fascinating history. It goes all the way back to the 12th century, when Cistercian monks arrived in the Yorkshire Dales and started making cheese from sheep’s milk. These days, it’s made with cow’s milk, which gives it that lovely crumbly-yet-moist texture and a fresh, lactic brightness that I always look forward to.
Like so many British cheeses, Wensleydale had a tough time in the 20th century, especially with all the changes brought by industry and wartime rationing. Thankfully, the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes kept the tradition going and even started experimenting with new flavours, which is how we ended up with the cranberry version.
The idea of adding cranberries emerged in the late 20th century, when cheesemakers began mixing dried fruits into mild, crumbly cheeses. Cranberries turned out to be a perfect match, their sweet flavour really brings out the lemony tang in Wensleydale, even more than softer fruits like apricot.
When you smell Wensleydale with Cranberries, it’s fresh and milky, with a gentle, yogurty tang. The cranberries add a hint of berry sweetness and just a touch of tartness.
The first bite is always bright and crumbly. Classic Wensleydale has that clean, citrusy strength, almost lemony. Then you get the cranberries, which give little bursts of sweet-tart flavour and a gentle chewiness that works so well with the cool, brittle cheese. It’s a combination that always makes me smile. What I love most is the balance. The cranberries don’t just add sweetness, they actually make the tang of the cheese stand out even more. The finish is refreshing and lightly fruity, with just enough creaminess and acidity to keep you coming back for another slice.
Because it’s quite mild, I often recommend it to people who aren’t sure about stronger cheeses like blue or washed rinds. It’s a great way to tempt new cheese lovers, or anyone who’s not quite ready for the big flavours yet.
Jen’s note: It’s funny to think that cranberries aren’t even native to the UK, they actually come from North America. Adding them to a centuries-old Yorkshire cheese is a very modern, transatlantic twist. In fact, dried cranberries only became easy to find in Britain in the late 20th century, as global food trade took off. Wensleydale itself dates back to medieval monastic traditions; the cranberry version is a distinctly modern creation, proof that even heritage foods evolve with global influences.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, starter cultures, rennet, salt, sweet dried cranberries
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
