LINCOLN LONGWOOLS are a product of the English county Lincoln. Similiar in age to the English Leicester breed, the Lincoln, however, did not warrant the degree of attention that their cousins did from Bakewell. The development of the Lincoln has depended largely on selection by shepherds through the centuries.
The LINCOLN LONGWOOL achieved great acclaim in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when their wool was essential to supply and establish the worsted spinning industry. In this century Lincoln wool is strongly sought by mohair blending spinners and for various products essential to wool processing. LINCOLN WOOL is ideal for wefts in weaving as the yarn is smooth, silky, and strong. Woven Lincoln cloth has incredible durability and brightness. It is ideal for outer clothing such as jackets and skirts. LINCOLN WOOL blends well with many fibres, adding strength to the yarn because of its own tensile strength and length. It is the ideal blend for quality mohair spinning as its own lustre compliments that of mohair.
LINCOLN WOOL has for many years been used for wigs (human and dolls) because of its lustre and length. For craft work LINCOLN WOOL is ideally suited for weaving; it is very easy to spin because of its length, it blends well with numerous fibres enhancing the quality of the other blend. The length of the lincoln wool makes it suitable to work without spinning also. It also lends itself to very fine intricate work, super fine shawls and delicate embroidery are such examples.
The LINCOLN CARCASSS is a tasty, lean meat, longer in the bone than the shortwool breeds but worthy to be on any dining room table. The lamb carcass is quite lean and of exceptionally fine flavour. The LINCOLN HIDE makes a lovely mat or material for jackets, etc. The leather is of good and resiliant quality.
LINCOLNS are found in the United Kingdom (their birthplace), New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, and several other countries. LINCOLN LONGWOOLS are amongst the largest of sheep breeds. Grown primarily for their lustrous (full lustre breed) wool of exceptional length with a kinder handle than other wools of comparable diameter, they also yield a tasty meat. LINCOLN LONGWOOLS grow phenomenal weights of wool – rams commonly grow more than 17kgs in a year, the fibre has excellent tensile strength and lustre.
The LINCOLN LONGWOOL has been used at various stages to improve several breeds in body size and wool quality and also in the foundation of numerous modern breeds such as the CORRIEDALE, ZENITH, POLWORTH, and COOPWORTH. The LINCOLN – shortwool (eg Dorset Horn, Southdown, etc) cross yields a superb first cross sheep with excellent meat and lovely wool. The LINCOLN – Merino cross is highly respected as as dams for fat lamb production.
Lincoln green is a very deep and rich dark green, similar to the green worn by Robin Hood to camofluage his band in Sherwood Forest which extended from Nottinghamshire into Lincolnshire.