Sparkenhoe Red Leicester

England’s Only Unpasteurised Red Leicester — Farmhouse Tradition Revived

Sparkenhoe Red Leicester is the only unpasteurised Red Leicester cheese made in England, produced by David and Jo Clarke at Sparkenhoe Farm in Leicestershire. Reviving a style that had vanished by the 1950s, they use raw milk from their pedigree Holstein-Friesian herd and an old recipe to bring back this once-lost classic.

The result? A deep orange-red cheese with a creamy, mellow flavour and slightly flaky texture. Naturally coloured with annatto and matured to develop a rich, earthy depth, this is Red Leicester as it was meant to be—full of character and history.

The name Sparkenhoe harks back to local Leicestershire dialect and the region’s old 'hundred area,' meaning “gorsey nob.”

Please note all cheeses are hand-cut, therefore the weights listed are approximate. We work very hard to cut them as accurately as we can.

This is a hand-made, artisan cheese, which may contain naturally occurring blue veins. These are normal and intrinsic to the nature of this type of cheese and add to its character. We think they taste good too!

KEY FACTS