Holnest

Holnest is a small parish about 5 miles south east  from Sherborne. Starting in the north and going clockwise it is adjacent to the parishes of, Longburton, Folke, Holwell, Wotton Glanville, Minterne Magna, Hermitage, Leigh and Lillington. The parish church is the ancient church of St Mary, which only contains seating for 74 persons. In the churchyard is a mausoleum erected to the memory of J S W Sawbridge-Erle-Drax. This family owned Holnest Park and were the principal landowners in the parish. In the grounds of Holnest Park was a nine foot high statue of 

the above gentleman commemorated in the mausoleum.  There does not appear to have been a post office and the children from here went to school at Longburton, Glanvilles Wotton or Hilfield.  In 1891 the population was only 127 persons, and the total acreage was 2270 acres, most of which is laid to pasture. The land is partly within the limits of what used to be the ancient Forest of Blackmore.

 All photographs  © Caryl Parsons

 The Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Holnest  is Caryl Parsons
  
Resources are available for look-up by contacting me. There are also some transcriptions on this site and more will be added.  The list below represents the main transcriptions I have, there may well be other smaller items not listed, so it is always worth contacting me. I am familiar with the village and surrounding area.
Please place the words 'OPC Holnest' as your subject for e-mails.
I will be building resources over the coming months so don't forget to come back regularly for the latest additions.

Resources available

Church Rates 1861, Poor Rates 1890
Vestry Book 1855-1912
Holnest Estate Sale 1919
Male inhabitants 1712 from the notebook of Canon Mayo

For a 1920's map of the are click on the thumbnail opposite

Dunn's Farm to the south of the Church

The Gatehouse to Holnest Park