About us
We are based near the historic town of Battle, set in the beautiful East Sussex countryside. We first came upon the breed whist on holiday in the West Country in the early 2000’s when we visited Paignton zoo. In a quiet corner of the zoo we came across an enclosure containing a group of these tiny little white sheep! Our first thought was these are amazing, shortly followed by we have to get some of these. The sign next to the read ‘Breton dwarf sheep’ so once back at the cottage that evening we hit the internet to see if I could find any for sale. Coincidently I found out there was a breeder about an hour away from us from whom we purchased our first Ouessant, it also just happened that she was the secretary of the newly formed Ouessant sheep society. We of course promptly joined up and we believe we are still one of the earliest members that is still active.
We are absolutely passionate about the breed and I believe they have huge potential in a modern world, especially give the rise in people wanting to farm but on a micro scale which is exactly what they allow me to do. As a breed they are truly amazing and offer endless hours of amusement.
Ouessant sheep
Ouessant sheep originate from the small island of the same name (ile de Ouessant) which sits at the south-western end of the English channel, off the coast of Brittany and marks the westernmost point of metropolitan France.
Ouessant sheep are classed as a heritage breed and are a primitive northern short tail breed. Historically they were a dual purpose breed used for both meat and their excellent fleeces. Life on the island was extremely tough, conditions were harsh so Ouesant sheep have evolved to be very hardly. They are less prone to common sheep ailments and adapt well to most conditions.
Ouessant have great characters and are friendly by nature, make great pets and are perfect for those new to sheep keeping or for people who want to farm on a small scale. They make perfect eco lawn mowers and are ideal for conservation grazing, especially on compact or sensitive sites.
Their small size makes them easy to handle, which I great for children as they are able to get involved with all aspects of sheep keeping. This makes them ideal for school farms and farm parks.
Conquest Ouessant Sheep 