Britain’s newest bread is the loaf and soul of Gloucestershire

A brand new bread is launched on Friday (17 April 2026) which looks set to be the toast of Gloucestershire – celebrating great county produce and honouring a nationally-important local event. The Gloucester History Festival Loaf has been created by the Forest Bakehouse in Longhope on the edge of the Forest of Dean.

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It has Gloucestershire goodness in every slice. It’s a sourdough loaf made with organic flour from Shipton Mill near Tetbury where milling dates back to the Domesday Book. The loaf is enriched with Double Gloucester cheese from Smart’s Farm at Birdwood, the third-generation family business which supplies the cheeses that tumble down Cooper’s Hill every year in the world-famous Cheese Rolling Competition. The cheese is made by hand using the milk of rare breed Gloucester cows, one of Britain’s oldest breeds. The loaf also includes red onions inspired by the original 14th century Newent Onion Fayre. 

The new loaf will be on sale for the first time at the Gloucester History Festival Spring Weekend in Blackfriars Priory and takes pride of place at one of the Festival events, Breaking Bread with baker & author David Wright, tracing the history of loaves including a bread and pastry tasting.

The Forest Bakehouse is an award-winning cooperative bakery started in 2013 by a group of enthusiasts who were passionate about bringing real, nutritious bread to the local community. ‘The Festival Loaf is Gloucestershire through and through – it has heart, heritage and honesty, it’s baked with love and tastes great, so it’s just what history fans knead,’ says baker Chris Hill.

The Gloucester History Festival returns to Blackfriars for its annual Spring Weekend from Friday 17th to Sunday 19th April 2026. The three-day programme features 28 events and a host of household names including TV’s ‘Queen of the Classics’ Mary Beard, broadcaster Edward Stourton, Britain’s best-selling female historian Alison Weir, BBC Coast presenter Mark Horton, prize-winning author Tharik Hussain, poet Pam Ayres and Gloucester historian Tony Conder.