Ticklemore Cheese Dairy
Sharpham Barton Lane, Ashprington, Totnes, TQ9 7DX
Member Overview
Ticklemore Cheese Dairy is one of Devon’s most respected artisan cheesemakers, known especially for its trio of handcrafted blue cheeses — Devon Blue, Beenleigh Blue and Harbourne Blue — made using milk from local farms in the South Hams. The dairy is based near Ashprington, Totnes, deep in the Dart Valley.
Heritage & Origins
Ticklemore Cheese Dairy has its roots in the 1970s, when Robin Congdon became one of the UK’s early pioneers of sheep’s milk cheeses. Starting with 30 sheep, he developed the now‑renowned Beenleigh Blue and Harbourne Blue, later adding Devon Blue using cow’s milk. As the business grew, Congdon partnered with the Dartington Hall Estate, riding the wave of the UK’s artisan cheese revival in the 1980s–90s — supported by influential champions like Patrick Rance and Randolph Hodgson. Today, the dairy is operated by Ben and Laura Harris, who continue to honour Congdon’s traditions and recipes.
The Cheeses
Devon Blue (Cow’s Milk)- Firm, crumbly‑moist body, Gently tangy blue flavour, Matured for 6–8 months. Multiple World Cheese Awards Super Gold wins (2022 & 2023)
Beenleigh Blue (Sheep’s Milk)- A classic British sheep’s milk blue noted for its balanced savouriness and complexity, created in the 1970s.
Harbourne Blue (Goat’s Milk) -A clean, bright, delicately tangy goat’s blue — a signature of the Ticklemore range.
Harbourne Blue (Goat’s Milk) -A clean, bright, delicately tangy goat’s blue — a signature of the Ticklemore range.
Production Style
Ticklemore’s cheeses are known for:
- Local milk sourcing — from sheep, goats or cows on nearby Devon farms
- Traditional methods combined with selective modern equipment
- Hand‑pressing and careful maturation
- Natural rinds and slow‑developing flavours
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Ticklemore’s approach emphasises craftsmanship, small‑batch production and expressing the terroir of the Dart valley.
Where to Buy & Taste
Ticklemore cheeses are stocked widely at:
- Specialist cheese shops
- Delis and farm shops throughout Devon
- National retailers such as Neal’s Yard Dairy, which sell and mature the cheese further in their own facilities
Devon Blue, Beenleigh Blue and Harbourne Blue are also featured in top restaurants and food destinations across the South West.
Why Ticklemore Is Celebrated
- A cornerstone of Devon’s artisan cheese renaissance
- Award‑winning expressions of local milk and place
- A pioneering legacy from Robin Congdon, one of the UK’s most influential cheesemakers
- Iconic styles such as Ticklemore Goat and Britain’s most respected sheep’s milk blues
- Authentic small‑dairy craft continuing today under Ben & Laura Harris
Artisan Blue Cheeses | Devon Heritage
Where to find us