Montgomery's Cheddar

Montgomery's Cheddar is a traditional farmhouse cheddar made in Somerset, in the southwest of England, by the Montgomery family at their Castle Cary dairy. The recipe has been followed almost unchanged since the early twentieth century and is considered one of the most faithful examples of traditional English clothbound cheddar still in production. Wheels are pressed, bound in muslin, and matured on wooden shelves for at least a year, often longer, during which the rind dries and the interior develops the dense, crystalline texture that mature farmhouse cheddar is known for.

The milk comes from the farm's own herd of Friesian cows and is warmed in a traditional copper vat before starter cultures and rennet are added. Once the curd has set, it is cut by hand, scalded again, and pitched — a step in which the wet curds are allowed to fuse and the acidity is gently raised before milling, salting, and packing into moulds. The cheese is then turned repeatedly during the early weeks of pressing to ensure an even rind, after which it is coated in lard and aged on the wooden shelves of the maturing room.

The flavour of a fully matured wheel is rich, brothy, and intensely savoury, with a long, almost meaty finish and a hint of caramel from the slow breakdown of proteins in the curd. The texture becomes slightly crumbly as the cheese ages and small tyrosine crystals form. Today the cheese is sold directly from the farm, through specialist cheesemongers, and at farmers' markets across the West Country, where it is a fixture on cheese counters in Bath, Frome, and Bruton.

Montgomery's Cheddar is a farmhouse cheese produced in North Cadbury, Somerset, by the Montgomery family, who have been making cheese there for several generations. It belongs to the West Country Farmhouse Cheddar tradition, which holds protected designation of origin (PDO) status, and is made from raw milk from the family's own Friesian herd, then aged for 9–12 months. The recipe follows classic Somerset methods, but the cheese's specific character—a dense, nutty, and slightly sharp profile—reflects the farm's terroir and the family's long-standing craft.

While cheddar itself has ancient roots in Somerset, the modern reputation of Montgomery's rests on its association with the revival of traditional, unpasteurised farmhouse cheesemaking in the late 20th century. The cheese is celebrated by British and international cheese enthusiasts as a benchmark for authentic cheddar, and it is frequently sold in specialty shops and featured in food writing. Its production remains small-scale and tied to the farm, reinforcing its status as a regional artisan product rather than a mass-market commodity, and its continued popularity underscores the cultural value placed on heritage dairy practices in the UK.