A Visit to Village Maid Cheese - Makers of Spenwood, Wigmore and Heckfield

Earlier this month I visited Village Maid Cheese, makers of some of the finest British artisan cheeses we stock at Rennet & Rind, including Spenwood, Wigmore, and the mighty Heckfield. I arrived bright and early, greeted by Jake with baby in hand, and we headed straight into the heart of their dairy. The farmhouse next door is home to the legendary Ann Wigmore, Village Maid’s founder and a true pioneer of British artisan cheese.

 Morning at Village Maid Cheese - into the make room with Jake.

Talking cheese - and the future of British artisan cheese

Over a coffee we talked about the state of the industry, where it is heading, the challenges on the horizon, and the wins worth celebrating. Jake’s knowledge flows easily. It is the kind that comes from growing up around cheesemaking and learning by doing.

Watching the magic happen in the make room

We stepped into the make room as the team were working on Waterloo and Heckfield. Cheesemaking here is a blend of science, skill, and feel. One of the team had his hand in the vat, judging texture and elasticity while watching the temperature. I tried Heckfield curd fresh from the vat. Usually this stage is about understanding progress, not pleasure, but this curd was a joy. Sweet and delicate. Perhaps the washed curd, perhaps the milk. Either way, it was special.

Touring the dairy - from packing to maturation

In the packing area the team wrapped complex shapes with calm speed. Then into the maturation rooms where the aroma hits in the best way. We swapped notes on affinage, then visited the new Barkham Blue facility. Ann managed the project. It keeps the artisan heart while scaling for demand. Traditional draining tables inspired smart slanted racks. They even solved whey drip and rind issues with a simple barrier layer during the quick make. Practical fixes that keep quality high.

Why Village Maid Cheese stands out

Village Maid blend tradition with useful tweaks. I noticed custom multi-mould trays that let the team fill curd faster and keep every cheese level. Small changes, big gains in consistency. It is a precise make, and the results show in Spenwood, Wigmore, and Heckfield.

Discovering Heckfield - a cheese with purpose

In the tasting room with Jake and Kayleigh we tried a range of cheeses, but I kept coming back to Heckfield. It is bold, full of flavour, and lingers. It fills a clear role in our range, a strong bridge for those who love flavour but have not yet jumped fully into artisan. It also answers the question I hear all the time, what is your strongest cheese.

Try Village Maid cheeses at Rennet & Rind

If you have not tried these yet, start here:

• Spenwood - hard ewe’s milk, sweet and nutty.
• Wigmore - soft ewe’s milk, delicate and buttery.
• Heckfield - strong, confident, and memorable.