What is "cotherstone"

Cotherstone is a village and civil parish in the Pennine hills, in Teesdale, County Durham, England. Cotherstone lies within the historic county boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire, but along with the rest of the former Startforth Rural District it was transferred to County Durham for administrative and ceremonial purposes on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972. There was a railway station at Cotherstone on the now-closed Barnard Castle to Middleton-in-Teesdale line. The railway line crossed the River Balder at the Balder Viaduct just north of Cotherstone.

Cotherstone cheese is a celebrated delicacy, and the village was famous for it by at least 1858.

Cotherstone (1840–1864) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from September 1851 to July 1853 he ran eleven times and won eight races. After being beaten on his debut, Cotherstone won his next six races including the 1843 2000 Guineas and Epsom Derby. A narrow defeat in the St. Leger Stakes prevented him from being recognised as the first winner of the English Triple Crown. He was regarded by contemporary experts as one of the best British racehorses of his era. After sustaining a serious injury in his only race in 1844 he was retired to stud where he had moderate success.