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May 25
Gloucester Cheese Rolling Day
The Gloucester Reel
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
“When the cheese is rolling, don’t ask questions. Just run.”
Say cheese! Or better yet, “Watch out for that cheese!”
Every year, the village of Brockworth in Gloucestershire hosts one of Britain’s most gloriously traditions: chasing an 8 pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down the steep slopes of Cooper’s Hill.
Participants sprint after it, although “sprint” quickly turns into tumbling, sliding, rolling, and generally trying to remain upright while gravity and runaway dairy products make other plans.
The event has been held for centuries, with the earliest written reference dating to 1837, though some historians think it may be tied to older seasonal customs. In earlier times, people reportedly rolled burning bundles of hay down Cooper’s Hill around the start of summer, possibly as a symbolic way of driving off winter. At some point, someone apparently decided that an oversized wheel of cheese would work just as well.
The cheese itself is a local specialty. Double Gloucester is traditionally made from full-fat milk and aged for several months, giving it a smooth, rich, buttery flavor that is less sharp than cheddar. It is also considerably harder to catch once it starts bouncing downhill at speed.
Appropriately enough, the Gloucester Reel, a 32 bar reel for 3 couples (and an unspecified number of cheese wheels) by devisor David Horwill is full of reeling figures, mimicking how you might bob and weave to avoid a rogue cheese. Be careful out there, dancers! 🕺 💃 🧡 💛 🧡 😮 ‼️ 🧀 🧀 🧀
The Gloucester Reel
Every spring bank holiday, thousands of spectators gather on the steep slopes of Cooper’s Hill near Gloucester to watch one of Britain’s most gloriously chaotic traditions: the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake. Competitors hurl themselves downhill after a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese that can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. In theory, the goal is to catch the cheese. In practice, most participants spend the race bouncing, tumbling, cartwheeling, and trying to arrive at the bottom with most of their dignity intact.
The event takes place on Cooper’s Hill in the village of Brockworth, just outside Gloucester in the county of Gloucestershire. The cheese itself is traditionally a 7–9 pound wheel of Double Gloucester, a hard English cheese made in the region for centuries. The winner is simply the first person to cross the finish line at the bottom of the hill — whether upright or not.
No one knows exactly when cheese rolling began. The earliest written record dates to 1826 in a message sent to the Gloucester town crier, but even at that time the custom was already considered ancient. Many historians believe the tradition could be several hundred years old, perhaps 600 years or more.
Several theories surround its origins. One idea is that the ceremony was tied to ancient grazing rights on the common land around Cooper’s Hill. Another suggests pagan seasonal rituals connected to the arrival of spring and the end of winter. Earlier customs may have involved rolling burning bundles of brushwood down the hill, symbolizing the return of light and fertility to the land. Over time, the flaming bundles apparently gave way to wheels of cheese — which, admittedly, are slightly easier to carry home afterward.
The word “wake” in the festival’s title refers to an old English village feast or fair, often connected to a parish church celebration. Historically, the gathering included more than just cheese rolling, with fairs, games, and festivities taking place around the hill.
Despite repeated safety concerns, cancellations, and official discouragement from local authorities, the tradition continues. The hill itself is extremely steep — over 45 degrees in places — and injuries are common enough that medical crews wait at the bottom every year. Yet the event has only grown in international fame, attracting competitors and spectators from around the world.
For more, click the cheese!
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