Did Mr. Thornton eat Richard Armitage’s favorite cheese?

I’ve wondered for a while exactly which cheese it was on the table at the “masters’ dinner” in episode 1 of North & South. See here:

and here:

In light of Mr. Armitage’s revelation today that he hankers after a pork pie and a slice of Stilton, in search of pork pie I read this article on a foodie tour of Leicestershire, which included this picture of a whole round of Stilton:

Those who’ve eaten Stilton before know that the inside looks like this, which is also consistent:

but the few times I’d purchased it myself it always came in the wedge, like above, and not in the round. I’d never seen the whole cheese from the outside before. Looks like that could be the Thorntons’ dessert cheese of choice.

Does someone have more accurate information? Whaddaya think?

ETA: see confirmation in the comments, and here’s an image of a Stilton spoon:

~ by Servetus on April 2, 2014.