Bagot goat
Encyclopedia
The Bagot goat is a breed of goat
which for several hundred years has lived semi-wild at Blithfield Hall
, Staffordshire
, England
. It is a small goat, with a black head and neck and the remainder of the body white. It is considered "critically endangered" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
, as there are fewer than 100 registered breeding females in the United Kingdom
.
Bagot goats were introduced to England at Blithfield Hall in the 1380s. They were probably brought back to England by returning Crusaders
, and probably trace their ancestry to goats of the Rhone valley. The goats were said to have been given to John Bagot of Blithfield by King Richard II of England
to commemorate good hunting the King had enjoyed at Blithfield.
A flock is still kept by the Bagot family in the deer park of Levens Hall
, Cumbria.
Examples can also be seen at Birmingham Nature Centre
; at Aldenham Country Park
in Hertfordshire
; and at the South of England Rare Breeds Centre
.
In January 2005, the breed was featured on a British
postage stamp
.
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
which for several hundred years has lived semi-wild at Blithfield Hall
Blithfield Hall
Blithfield Hall , is a privately owned Grade I listed country house in Staffordshire, England, situated some east of Stafford, southwest of Uttoxeter and north of Rugeley....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is a small goat, with a black head and neck and the remainder of the body white. It is considered "critically endangered" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Rare Breeds Survival Trust
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity, whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the United Kingdom’s native farm animal genetic resources...
, as there are fewer than 100 registered breeding females in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Bagot goats were introduced to England at Blithfield Hall in the 1380s. They were probably brought back to England by returning Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
, and probably trace their ancestry to goats of the Rhone valley. The goats were said to have been given to John Bagot of Blithfield by King Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
to commemorate good hunting the King had enjoyed at Blithfield.
A flock is still kept by the Bagot family in the deer park of Levens Hall
Levens Hall
Levens Hall is a manor house in the county of Cumbria in northern England. The first house on the site was a pele tower built by the Redman family in around 1350. Much of the present building dates from the Elizabethan era, when the Bellingham family extended the house...
, Cumbria.
Examples can also be seen at Birmingham Nature Centre
Birmingham Nature Centre
Birmingham Nature Centre is a small zoo on the edge of Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham, England. It is managed by Birmingham City Council.-Animals:The zoo features mainly small mammals...
; at Aldenham Country Park
Aldenham Country Park
Aldenham Country Park is a parkland and woodland, including a reservoir, created in 1971 and now part of the Watling Chase Community Forest, located near Elstree, Hertfordshire in England....
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
; and at the South of England Rare Breeds Centre
Canterbury Oast Trust
The Canterbury Oast Trust is a registered charity which runs commercial operations that provide occupational opportunities for people with learning disabilities in Kent and East Sussex in England, as well as providing homes, care and educational support....
.
In January 2005, the breed was featured on a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
.