The Cheviot, while a small sheep, is a very valuable animal. They not only produce beautiful, strong fur, but they also lamb easily and are very hardy animals.

The Cheviot Sheep was bred specifically so they could take care of themselves. They rarely have difficulty lambing and the mother and lamb need little special care. Cheviots are also worm-resistant. Cheviots are often kept outdoors all the time, needing no shelter from even the very worst weather. They are considered the hardiest of their class. Lambs are alert, curious and active from the moment of birth. Cheviots are efficient animals to keep, as they are grazing animals. The herd, rather than remaining in one area and exhausting it, spreads out over the available grazing land. Cheviot lambs are highly valued for their meat, while the adults produce excellent wool. The wool is desired by mills because of its length, crimp and fine texture.

Relatively small, mature rams usually weigh between 160 and 200 pounds and ewes between 130 and 170 pounds. They do not have wool on the head, face, or lower legs. The rest of the body is covered with white wool that is usually around five inches in length. The hooves and nostrils are usually black. Because of their hornless heads and the way they carry themselves, they are very aristocratic in appearance.

As early as 1372, there are records of a small, sturdy breed of sheep that was common in the Cheviot Hills on the border of Scotland and England. It is believed that these sheep arrived on one of the Spanish Armada that was sent to invade England during the reign of Phillip the Second in Spain and Queen Bess in England. One of these ships, which were carrying sheep, sank on the coast of the British Isles. It is likely that these sheep swam to shore and became the ancestors of today's Cheviot. Legend states that the Cheviot did, in fact, "come from out of the sea." Since that time, the Cheviot has grazed, primarily without any human care, on the Cheviot Hills. The wool of the animals was greatly valued by the nobility of Great Britain. In 1791, Sir John Sinclair suggested that, if all of Scotland were covered with Cheviots, the worth of the wool would be at least "900,000 pounds sterling." The tweeds made of the Cheviot wool have long been admired. In 1860, great storms roared throughout Scotland. The Cheviot was one of the only breeds that weathered the storm well. The Cheviot has expanded from residing in just the Cheviot Hills to throughout Scotland. They were first imported to the United States in 1842 by Robert Davidson, who immigrated to New Lisborn, New York. This started a great influx of Cheviots into the United States. In 1919, 200 sheep were transported over the ocean to America. The importation and breeding of Cheviots continues to this day.

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