High Weald Dairy
Organic dairy in a converted grain store on Tremains Farm, making cow, sheep and goat cheeses. A small shop opens on weekdays; tours are run separately by Cheese Tours.
About Sussex Slipcote
A fresh, soft sheep's milk cheese, usually round and very soft. Wikipedia says Slipcote has been made in England since the Middle Ages, and gives two readings of the name: an old English word for a little piece of cottage cheese, as High Weald Dairy explains it, or a cheese that slips out of its rind as it matures. Today it is made by High Weald Dairy at Horsted Keynes from organic pasteurised sheep milk and sold fresh, as 100 gram buttons or as logs, plain or flavoured with garlic and herb or with dill.
Made in: West Sussex; the dairy that sells it under this name is High Weald Dairy at Horsted Keynes
On the plate
Light, creamy and fluffy, melting in the mouth, with a slightly sharp, lemony, refreshing flavour. High Weald Dairy rates it mild, 1 on its strength scale, and says it is often enjoyed on crusty bread or crumbled over pasta dishes.
Wine and cheese
What to pour with Sussex Slipcote
Blanc de blancs sparkling Sussex
Our pickSlipcote is creamy and lemony, and a dry, high-acid sparkling wine made wholly or mostly from Chardonnay lifts the soft curd with its bubbles instead of weighing it down.
Bacchus Sussex
Our pickSlipcote is fresh, creamy and lemony, so it suits a light, dry, unoaked white with high acidity. Bacchus is crisp enough to echo the cheese's tang without burying its soft, milky centre.
Pinot Gris (dry) Sussex
Our pickA dry Pinot Gris has enough weight and roundness to meet the soft curd, while its fruit leaves the lemony tang of the cheese clear.
The grapes behind these winesChardonnayBacchusPinot Gris
From the source
Where to buy and taste it
Middle Farm Shop
Farm shop at a 625 acre working farm below Firle Beacon. Its deli cheese counter stocks Sussex cheeses by name, with crackers and local charcuterie; the Cider Barn sells Sussex sparkling wines.
Cheese Please
Delicatessen on Lewes High Street selling artisan British and continental cheeses and accompaniments, with bespoke boxes and next-day delivery or collection in store.
The Cheese Hut
Shop in Portslade, opened in October 2017 by The Cheese Man, stocking Sussex, British and continental cheeses with local charcuterie, chutneys and olive oil.
Cheese experiences nearby
High Weald Dairy Cheese Tour and Tasting
Guided tour of an organic dairy's cheese-making rooms and maturing room, then a tutored tasting in the cheese barn. Run by Cheese Tours; Sunday, private and group tours are offered.
Albourne Estate Vineyard Tour with Sussex Wine and Cheese Pairing
Vineyard and winery tour, then four Albourne drinks matched with local Sussex cheeses, sheep and cow, one unpasteurised. Not for under-18s; the cheese is in the ticket price.
Chichester Cheese and Chilli Festival
Two-day outdoor festival in Oaklands Park with artisan cheese producers, chilli growers, sauce makers, street food and cooking demonstrations. The 2026 edition was held on 20 and 21 June.
Sussex Slipcote: questions
What does slipcote mean?
High Weald Dairy gives it as an old English word meaning a little (slip) piece of cottage (cote) cheese. Wikipedia adds a second explanation, that the cheese tends to slip out of its rind while maturing.
Where is Sussex Slipcote made?
At High Weald Dairy on Tremains Farm, Horsted Keynes, in West Sussex, from organic sheep milk. The dairy has a small shop on the farm, open on weekdays.
How is Sussex Slipcote sold?
High Weald Dairy's product page lists it as a button or a log, plain or flavoured with garlic and herb or with dill, and says its buttons are 100 grams.
Plan the trip
Visit Sussex Slipcote country
Tastings and tours where it is made, and somewhere to stay.
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Sources: en.wikipedia.org, www.highwealddairy.co.uk. The drawing is made from the cheese's recorded shape, rind and paste, not a photograph.