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, Wootton 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 Wootton 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, 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

Dunn's Farm to the south of the Church

The Gatehouse to Holnest Park