Goathill Explained

Country:England
Region:South West England
Static Image Name:Goathill St Peter.jpg
Static Image Caption:St Peter's church, Goathill
Population:10
Population Ref:[1]
Os Grid Reference:ST 6764 1718
Coordinates:50.9531°N -2.462°W
Post Town:Sherborne
Postcode Area:DT
Postcode District:DT9
Constituency Westminster:West Dorset
Unitary England:Dorset

Goathill is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in England, situated in northern Dorset, a couple of miles east of the town of Sherborne. It lies very close to the county boundary however, and for much of its history (until 1896) lay instead within the neighbouring county of Somerset, and has been described as being "just in Dorset by a nanny-goat's whisker".[2] It remains part of the diocese of Bath and Wells.[3]

Goathill, together with the three village parishes of Poyntington, Castleton and Oborne, form a group of parishes that share a grouped parish council called Yeohead & Castleton Parish Council.[4]

The parish was part of the hundred of Horethorne.[5]

St Peter's church and a mill are the major buildings. Nearby is Goathill Quarry, a place of special scientific interest to geologists as it allows the Fuller's earth layers to be established in relation to the limestone.[6] Dorset County Council estimate that in 2013 Goathill parish had a population of 10.[1]

To the north, in Somerset, is the village of Milborne Port.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Parish Population Data. 20 January 2015. 28 February 2015. Dorset County Council.
  2. Gant, R., Dorset Villages, Hale, 1980, p65
  3. http://www.achurchnearyou.com/goathill-st-peter A Church Near You
  4. Web site: Yeohead & Castleton Parish Council. 3 February 2015.
  5. Web site: Somerset Hundreds. GENUKI. 9 October 2011.
  6. http://www.english-nature.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1003551.pdf English Nature citation sheet for the site