Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake2026 · Date · History · Messages
The event site and Tewkesbury Borough Council corroborate the annual Spring Bank Holiday Monday event; the council’s 2026 safety statement says it has no official organiser and raises significant public-safety concerns.
About Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake is a long-running Gloucestershire tradition held at Cooper’s Hill near Brockworth, normally on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday.
Competitors race down an exceptionally steep hill after a rolling Double Gloucester cheese, but the event carries substantial physical-injury risk and current local-government safety material says it has no official organiser.
Why Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake matters
The event is part of local Gloucestershire tradition and attracts spectators and participants from far beyond the area. Its historical origin is old and uncertain rather than traceable to one verified founder.
Watching or learning about the tradition is different from attempting the downhill race. A responsible guide should not frame a dangerous descent as a casual challenge.
History of Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
Historical material on the event says cheese rolling at Cooper’s Hill has existed for centuries, while the precise origin remains uncertain.
The event was historically associated with Whit Monday and moved with the late Spring Bank Holiday calendar; the local event site says it has been held on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday since the late 1960s.
The former official organizing company ceased operating around 2010, after which local enthusiasts continued the tradition.
Ahead of the 2026 event, Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Safety Advisory Group said the event had no official organiser and warned that no formal safety plans had been submitted.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
7 fields not established in reviewed sources
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
Cheese Rolling Gloucester
How to Observe Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake
If attending as a spectator, follow current local access, transport and emergency guidance and keep clear of restricted or unsafe areas.
Learn about the event’s history and the role of Double Gloucester cheese in the tradition.
Do not attempt to recreate the race on steep terrain or encourage inexperienced people to run down hazardous slopes.
If you are considering participation, review current local safety warnings and make your own risk decision rather than treating the event as a routine fun run.
Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake Facts
The event is associated with Cooper’s Hill near Brockworth in Gloucestershire.
It normally takes place on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday.
The hill is extremely steep and serious injuries have occurred.
Current local-government safety material says the event has no official organiser.
The precise origin and first edition are not securely established.
Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake Messages
May the history of Cooper’s Hill be remembered alongside clear-eyed respect for the risks faced by participants and emergency services.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Tewkesbury Borough Council — 2026 multi-agency safety statement (opens in a new tab)
Local Government
Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling — Media & Press (opens in a new tab)
Event History Site
Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling — When? (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake?
Spring Bank Holiday Monday The documented recurrence rule is: UK Spring Bank Holiday Monday.
Does Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Gloucestershire, England / historic Cooper’s Hill event; current local-government sources report no official organiser. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake?
The documented basis is: The event site and Tewkesbury Borough Council corroborate the annual Spring Bank Holiday Monday event; the council’s 2026 safety statement says it has no official organiser and raises significant public-safety concerns.. Supporting evidence includes Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling — Media & Press. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Gloucestershire, England / historic Cooper’s Hill event; current local-government sources report no official organiser. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-09.
When is the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake?
It normally takes place on the Spring Bank Holiday Monday in England.
Who organizes the event?
Current local-government safety material says there is no official organiser; local enthusiasts have continued the tradition after the former organizing company ceased operating.
How old is the tradition?
Sources describe it as centuries old, but the exact origin and first edition are not securely established.
Is cheese rolling safe to try?
The downhill race carries significant injury risk. Current council safety statements have raised concerns about emergency response and the absence of formal safety plans.