Help the powers that be realise that there are many people who appreciate these distinctive inhabitants of our Valley of the Rocks! Goats in the Valley were mentioned in the Domesday book, and referred to in subsequent literature, including a reference in Lorna Doone, (1869). Before the 60's these were apparently Cashmere Goats, possibly ‘let go’ from a local land owner tired of looking after them. It is thought these had disappeared by 1960. After the sixties I understand there were a handful of goats of Swiss origin, with a 'Saanen' billy introduced in the 70's. It is possible that a few other goats were 'dumped' in the valley as one article describes the group as a 'motley crew'. In 1976 three goats described as "Genuine British Primitive Goats" were added to the stock, (also known as Cheviots, from a herd in Northumberland) and some crossbreeding ensued. Although there was apparently some effort later to manage this group in order to bring the herd more to the Cheviot breed this was disrupted by the Foot and Mouth outbreak at the beginning of this century. More recently in 2017 the council decided to remove all the billies and so no new kids were born until the OEGS lent a Cheviot billy in Autumn 2019. The result was that a large number of kids were born in spring 2020, coinciding with the Corona Virus lockdown.
