Ancient Caledonian Cows

[Hughie]

From The Sun 12 December 1821
ANCIENT CALEDONIAN COWS - On Friday last two cows and a bull, supposed to be the only existing remains in Scotland of the ancient Caledonian breed, were removed from a field near Ardrossan, where they have been kept for nearly 30 years, to Mr. CORBETT's, of Doughall, a distance of 22 miles. Being in their wild and untamed state, they became quite unmanageable on the road.

The bull rushed at one man on horseback and tossed both over a hedge - he threw down another man and horse, and attacked several horses and carts and people on the road, in the most furious manner, but luckily his want of horns prevented him from doing any material injury. It was at length found necessary to fasten the bull and one of the cows on separate carts, which was accomplished with considerable difficulty, and in this state they were carried to their place of destination, where one of the cows died in about an hour from fatigue, and the bull was not expected to survive.

These animals are of the common size, but of a very handsome make - they have no horns, and with the exception of part of the ear, which is brown, their bodies are entirely white.
(Edinburgh Courant, Dec. 8.)

[exile]

From The Sun 12 December 1821
ANCIENT CALEDONIAN COWS - On Friday last two cows and a bull, supposed to be the only existing remains in Scotland of the ancient Caledonian breed, were removed from a field near Ardrossan, where they have been kept for nearly 30 years, to Mr. CORBETT's, of Doughall, a distance of 22 miles. Being in their wild and untamed state, they became quite unmanageable on the road.

The bull rushed at one man on horseback and tossed both over a hedge - he threw down another man and horse, and attacked several horses and carts and people on the road, in the most furious manner, but luckily his want of horns prevented him from doing any material injury. It was at length found necessary to fasten the bull and one of the cows on separate carts, which was accomplished with considerable difficulty, and in this state they were carried to their place of destination, where one of the cows died in about an hour from fatigue, and the bull was not expected to survive.

These animals are of the common size, but of a very handsome make - they have no horns, and with the exception of part of the ear, which is brown, their bodies are entirely white.
(Edinburgh Courant, Dec. 8.)

Never knew about these animals locally, but I did know about the wild white Chillingham cattle in Northumberland - might be a connection, according to this article?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chillingham_cattle

[meekan]

From The Sun 12 December 1821

I never realized that the "Sun" newspaper was as old as that (every day is a school day")

[bonzo]

From The Sun 12 December 1821

I never realized that the "Sun" newspaper was as old as that (every day is a school day")

Do you think they had a page 3

[meekan]

Well there was a mention of cows

[Hughie]

According to the wikipedia link above from exile, there's this:

In 1759 the Earl of Eglinton formed a herd of the ancient breed of white or Chillingham cattle at Ardrossan in North Ayrshire, Scotland, probably using stock from the Cadzow Castle herd. The numbers dropped and in 1820 the remaining animals were dispersed. All the animals in this herd were hornless.[32]

[margb]

Hughie, Georgersweir posted an interesting article on these cattle on Aug 4 2018 in unanswered topics.

[Hughie]

Thanks Margaret, I should have done a search within the forums before posting.
Here's the link to George's earlier mention of the cows viewtopic.php?p=128361#p128361

[hahaya2004]

The Ardrossan herd is mentioned in this book.
https://archive.org/details/wildwhiteca ... r/page/330

[morag]

I wiz just relieved ma face wiznae on there.