OS grid reference SU020769 Postcode district SN11 9 Local time Wednesday 10:20 PM | Sovereign state United Kingdom | |
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Weather 8°C, Wind SW at 6 km/h, 96% Humidity | ||
Goatacre is a village in the southwestern English county of Wiltshire situated 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Calne and 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Lyneham, Wiltshire on the A3102 road. It is in the parish of Hilmarton and the closest major town is Swindon, some 10 miles (16 km) to the northeast. The adjacent hamlet, west of the main road, called New Zealand is considered part of Goatacre. A bus service runs between Chippenham and Swindon by way of Goatacre on a regular basis.
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Map of Goatacre, Calne, UK
Goatacre has a cricket team which won the Cricketer National Village Knockout competition in 1988 and 1990.
The village hall plays host to both private and community events; in 2013 it was extended to provide new changing rooms and a viewing balcony. There are also facilities for playing football including a pitch and changing facilities shared with the cricket club.
Etymology
Although it is popularly thought that the name of the village was given by Quakers, it was recorded as far back as 1242 as Godacre, in 1348 as Gatacre and in 1408 as Gotagre. The name is derived from the Old English word gat-aecre meaning, literally, goat-acre. (Source: 'Wiltshire Place Names' by Richard Tomkins, published 1983 by Redbrick Publishing.)
Evidence of the Quaker settlement can be seen in the name of the road called 'Quakers Lane" and the disused Quaker burial ground in Lower Goatacre.