Quakers, Goatacre
Goatacre was a popular settlement for Quakers from the 17th century. There is little information regarding the first settlers and it is not known why they were drawn to Goatacre -maybe it was because there were Quaker influences in nearby Lyneham, Bremhill and Calne. The Harris family in particular were quite a prominent family in Goatacre. In the Friend's Suffering's Book 1653-1702, a clothier called John Harris was repeatedly imprisoned as a dissenter from 1682. After his death, his widow Jane was persecuted continuously until 1703. She had oats, barley, wheat and hay confiscated for refusing to pay tithe fees. From 1704, a Hannah Harris is fined for the same reason.
There are records in America of members of the Harris family of Goatacre in the 17th century - they were possibly trying to escape persecution. Goatacre's Quaker burial ground still remains to the eastern end of the village. The land for the burial ground was leased to trustees 'for the intent and purpose of Interring and Burying those dead there' for a term of 'two thousand years' in 1678 for a peppercorn rent. The land was part of Jane Brewer's garden and was '6 luggs or perches of land'.
There are records in America of members of the Harris family of Goatacre in the 17th century - they were possibly trying to escape persecution. Goatacre's Quaker burial ground still remains to the eastern end of the village. The land for the burial ground was leased to trustees 'for the intent and purpose of Interring and Burying those dead there' for a term of 'two thousand years' in 1678 for a peppercorn rent. The land was part of Jane Brewer's garden and was '6 luggs or perches of land'.