Robert Bakewell was an agricultural revolutionary. Born in 1725, he was brought up at Dishley, near Loughborough in Leicestershire.

Bakewell first bred cattle to be used for food. Before, the main use for cattle was for pulling ploughs, but Bakewell bred long horned heifers and a Westmoreland bull to create the Dishley Longhorn. However, after his death, the Dishley longhorn was replaced with short horn versions.

Bakewell is best known for creating a breed of sheep known as the New Leicesters . These were much improved on previous sheep, but were later replaced with Border Leicester crosses, which had thicker wool and could withstand the British climate.

Bakewell died in 1795.