A tangy and tender, buttery cream cheese - Lancashire is one of Britain's five traditional 'territorials' cheeses.

The first mentions of Lancashire cheese date back to the 14th century, and the cheese remained popular until the start of World War II, when there were still 220 Lancashire cheese makers in England.

After the war, there was not a single one left - until in 1978 Mrs Kirkham rolled up her sleeves and made the first Lancashire cheeses on Beesley Farm in southwest England.

Kirkham's Lancashire is the world's only Lancashire-style cheese made from raw milk, sourced from the family's own farm, where 40 cows graze.

Cheesemaking begins when the milk is milked over a period of several days. This allows the curds to begin to ferment slightly before the actual cheesemaking. Originally, Lancashire was made on farms so small that there was not enough milk to make the cheese in one day.

Our Lancashire cheese is matured in cloth for 15 months, giving it its familiar strong, crumbly texture and rich, sour flavour.

Today, the Kirkham Lancashire cheesemaking tradition is carried on by Mrs Kirkham's son, Graham. Kirkham Lancashire cheese is known worldwide as one of the best English cheeses, and it is also one of Peter's favourite cheeses!