Stilton Cheese derives its name from the village of Stilton, Cambridgeshire. It was never made in Stilton, but was sold there to coach travellers on the Great North Road, travelling between London and Scotland. In the 18th Century, it was recorded that cheese for the Bell Inn, Stilton was procured by a Mrs Paulet, a cheese-making farmer’s wife living near Melton Mowbray, for her brother-in-law Cooper Thornhill. He was reputed to have been the landlord of the inn at that time. This story therefore connects Stilton cheese-making with the area around Melton Mowbray.

Stilton Cheese may only be produced in the counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and is protected by a certification trademark. This has ultimately lead to Stilton being awarded a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by the European Commission.