Sir Arthur Harris was born c. 1530 in the county of Essex, England.
He married Dorothy Waldegrave of Smallbridge, who was the daughter of Sir William Waldegrave and Julia Reynsford.
It has been established that Sir Arthur Harris lived in the villages of Creeksea, Woodham Mortimer, Cold Norton and the City of London. Sir Arthur Harris is credited with building the manor house Creeksea Place in Creeksea, Essex. Sir Arthur was the High Sheriff of Essex in 1589, a Justice of the Peace, and one of the Commissioners appointed in 1577 to enquire into piratical practices along the Essex coast.
Sir Arthur Harris died July 7, 1597 and is buried at St. Mary's Church in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex.