The prestigious Affineur of the Year Awards celebrate and recognise the best technical skills of cheese maturing (called affinage in France).  And this year (2026) The Courtyard Dairy’s entry was awarded first place and overall winner. Entrants are sent a series of young cheeses spanning five cheese categories, (each just a few days old) and are then able to mature them as they wish to bring out distinctive, different and first-class flavours from each cheese as it matures. The cheese categories this year were: It was a great recognition of the cheesemongers’ skills at The Courtyard Dairy that its entry took home first place and overall winner at the awards. Awarded the biggest trophy as overall champion Affineur, The Courtyard Dairy cheesemongers Simon Ferro and James Spence secured their win with their aged Quicke’s Cheddar, selected as overall champion by an esteemed judging panel of affinage experts from across the world.  Josh Windsor, head affineur at Murray’s Cheese (New York) said “The Courtyard Dairy has truly produced a tasty hybrid of two distinct styles by blending make and affinage traditions.  We are excited to see what arises from this exchange of ideas when we host the winner affineur.” Having set…

Andy Swinscoe of The Courtyard Dairy is crowned as the British Library’s inaugural Food Hero at the 2025 British Library Food Season Awards The British Library Food Season is known for championing the most exciting voices and ideas in food writing, history, politics and culture. Top of the bill for 2025 is the brand-new Food Hero Award. A shortlist of just eight “outstanding” Food Heroes had been chosen by the Food Season team and key individuals in the world of food, stating “Each of those people has had an outstanding positive impact on the food we eat, food culture or our understanding of food.” Andy, cheesemonger and co-owner of Settle’s renowned The Courtyard Dairy, was awarded the honour of being selected from the shortlist to win and be the very first British Library Food Season Food Hero. “It came as a complete surprise to be chosen as Food Hero,” he said, “Especially because the calibre of the entries was outstanding. This award is a true honour to receive.” The British Library had chosen Andy for the shortlist they said because he is “one of the most knowledgeable, engaging and proactive experts in his area. A successful cheesemonger, he has built…

The Courtyard Dairy was thrilled to be 15 minute segment of this weeks BBC One’s primetime show: Countryfile. The presenters selected The Courtyard Dairy to visit to showcase how traditional cheese is made.  After visiting the conservation farm (Colin Price), where the cows are milked and seeing Lapwings in flight, they came to see that milk transformed into ‘Courtyard Dairy Soft‘ – the perfect soft spring cheese. Watch on catch-up here > Find out more fascinating facts about cheese – simply sign up to The Courtyard Dairy monthly newsletter for regular  exciting offers and interesting info. from the cheese-world.  Sign up here.

Andy & Kathy from The Courtyard Dairy was excited to be featured on BBC Radio 4’s “Food Programme” this week, in their episode on: “Is our cheese heritage ancient history?”. Discussing their research into British cheese and it’s evolution: past, present and future.  They helped Sheila Dillon decode an ancient 112 page ancient vellum manuscript “A Pamflyt Compiled of Cheese, Contayninge the Differences, Nature, Qualities, and Goodness, of the Same” recently discovered by Leeds University and brought it to life. Using inspiration from their pamfylt and other historical references they handmade a recreation of an ancient cheese to the region: Courtyard Dairy Soft. Listen to it here:   Find out more fascinating facts about cheese – simply sign up to The Courtyard Dairy monthly newsletter for regular  exciting offers and interesting info. from the cheese-world.  Sign up here.

The Courtyard Dairy was awarded Cheesemonger of the Year at this years Global Cheese Awards. Held in high regard, the awards have been going since 1861 and are one of the oldest continuing cheese shows in the world This year’s team of judges highlighted The Courtyard Dairy’s, “very interesting and original selection … particularly good to see a cheesemonger championing local producers.” Kathy Swinscoe “It’s a real credit to our skilled cheesemonger team, whose mission is continually to champion and support farm-made cheese in the UK. “The unique range of small farm producers that we work closely with, both developing and supporting, really showed through. The award recognises our local Dales community – they’ve really got behind the special, single-farm cheeses we stock, and make an effort to support them and us. Without our regular customers, we’d struggle!” Find out more fascinating facts about cheese – simply sign up to The Courtyard Dairy monthly newsletter for regular  exciting offers and interesting info. from the cheese-world.  Sign up here.

Andy & Kathy of The Courtyard Dairy were thrilled to be awarded No.1 in The Sunday Times listing of Best UK Cheese Shop’s this week, “It was such a thrill to open The Sunday Times – it is thanks to all whole team who work here every day telling that story and selling cheese in great condition – the award belongs to all of the team here, the farmers we work with – and also those loyal customers who support us and allow farm made cheese to keep going.  We’ve put our heart and soul into this business so it’s great to see that recognised. It’s also such a tribute to see that this style of local independent shops and small-scale food producers is still so valued and supported.  I’m proud of what we achieve here every day for rejuvenating artisan cheese.” The Times Newspaper highlighted: “The shop is a brilliant place to seek out lesser-known cheeses, with most coming from small farms. After a day’s hiking, come here for Cais na Tire, a sweet, Manchego-like sheep’s cheese from Ireland; Leeds Blue, a rich, creamy blue made by a Sardinian who moved to Yorkshire; and Yoredale, an old-school Wensleydale that’s…

After seeing a diagram produced by an American farmstead cheese-maker showing how much of their turnover went back into their community I thought we’d do a similar analysis at The Courtyard Dairy. Using last years accounts I decided to see just how much an impact our business was having in the locality from The Courtyard Dairy’s cheese shop and café.  I always knew in my heart that supporting small local enterprises helps to keep a community vibrant but I was pleasantly surprised at how much went back into the local communities in the north of England from our own turnover. We worked it out by analysing the bills the business had paid during the last year and working out how much money had been spent locally.  I appreciate that it is often much harder to use local enterprises rather than opting for the convenience of shopping online or big retailers – for example small shops are often not open for as long as larger retailers, are sometimes located in areas where it is difficult to park and are perceived as being more expensive. And whilst I emphasise to all who work at The Courtyard Dairy the importance of doing things…

Andy (of The Courtyard Dairy), joined Dan Dan Saladino and food historian Ivan Day as they delved into the foods of Christmas past in this BBC Radio 4: Food Programme. “The Forgotten Foods of Christmas” Featuring Wensleydale cheese, and why historically it was eaten at Christmas with fruitcake, and detailing the exciting revival in farm-made Wensleydale cheese with the three farm cheesemakers: Fellstone, Stonebeck and Yoredale. Listen here: Find out more fascinating facts about cheese – simply sign up to The Courtyard Dairy monthly newsletter for regular  exciting offers and interesting info. from the cheese-world.  Sign up here.

Andy from The Courtyard Dairy was thrilled to be feature on BBC Radio 4’s “On Your Farm Programme” this week. The programme featured Andy talking all about the revival of farmhouse Yorkshire cheese, in particular the revival of Wensleydale cheese made by hand on the farm with an interview from Stonebeck makers, Andrew & Sally Hattan. Listen to it here: Find out more fascinating facts about cheese – simply sign up to The Courtyard Dairy monthly newsletter for regular  exciting offers and interesting info. from the cheese-world.  Sign up here.

The Courtyard Dairy has been crowned ‘Local Food & Drink Champion’ for The North of England in The Countryside Alliance Rural Oscars. The Countryside Alliance Rural Oscars are an annual celebration of the best of British food & farming, enterprise and heritage available through small hard-working businesses. The Courtyard Dairy competed against businesses throughout the north. Kathy Swinscoe, one of the directors of The Courtyard Dairy, was thrilled that the business won the regional final: “It’s been a busy year for us, as we have grown into our new premises at the former Falconry Centre on the A65 near Settle,” she said, “So to become regional champion and make it through to the national final is a great reward and recognises the excellent efforts made by all our staff. It’s also a testament to our business ethos of supporting the small independent farms that are making amazing cheese – and helping the market for these tastiest of cheeses to grow!” The award judges were quick to praise the business “Andy and Kathy Swinscoe at The Courtyard Dairy enthusiastically support small farmers making cheese in traditional ways. What defines this business is the way that it sources and champions products from…

Clipping from The Times national newspaper (November 2017) listing The Courtyard Dairy as one of the UK’s top 15 cheese shops.  Click here to read the full article.