History of Stilton Cheese
History of World Cuisines
Stilton takes its name from the village of
Stilton in Cambridgeshire, England (about 80 miles north of London).
the 18th century, the town of Stilton was a staging post for coaches. Travelers
journeying from London to York would break their voyage there to refresh not
only themselves, but more importantly, the horses.
One Mr Cooper Thornhill who was
landlord at the Bell Inn at Stilton, introduced travellers to
the creamy, blue-veined
It is believed that he purchased the cheese
from his sister-in-law, Mrs Frances Pawlett, who made the cheese locally
where she lived near Melton Mowbray (better known for its pies) and who,
together with her husband set up a co-operative for Stilton cheese
production. Today, only seven dairies are licensed to make the cheese
using the original recipe.
The first written reference to Stilton dates back to October 1722 in
William Stukeley’s Itinerarium Curiosum, letter V.
If you've arrived at this page via a search engine, do take a few minutes to
look around the site. We're convinced you'll find lots more excellent recipes
and in depth culinary information covering a wide range of food related topics.