Cadzow White Park Cattle

The Cadzow White Park cattle are one of the rarest and oldest cattle breeds in Britain. You can see them today at Chatelherault Country Park, where a small herd grazes near the main avenue. This page gives you a simple guide to their history, why they are special and how to see them.

What makes them unique

These cattle are easy to spot with their white coats and black ears, muzzles, feet and horn tips. They are thought to descend from ancient wild oxen known as Aurochs. Early settlers may have brought them to Britain for ceremonies or trade. Their size and striking colour made them valuable animals.

A long place in Scotland’s history

For centuries wild white cattle lived in the forests of southern Scotland. People feared them, hunted them and valued them, which helped protect them from extinction. By the 1400s the cattle were kept in enclosed hunting parks owned by wealthy families across Scotland and northern England.

The Cadzow herd originally roamed freely in Hamilton High Parks. In the late 1960s they were moved to the Duke of Hamilton’s estate in East Lothian. In 1987 a small group returned to the newly created Chatelherault Country Park, where they remain today.

Where you can see them

Only two herds of these cattle are left: the small Cadzow herd at Chatelherault and a larger herd at Chillingham in Northumberland. At Chatelherault, you can usually see them grazing in the fields beside the grand avenue.

Inside the Chatelherault Visitor Centre, you can also view two preserved Cadzow cattle prepared by Charles Kirk of Glasgow.

Find out more

You can visit Chatelherault Country Park to see the cattle and learn more about their history through displays in the Visitor Centre.