England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Holt St James

The Parish

The tything of Holt lies in eastern Dorset entirely within the area of Wimborne Minster and roughly 3 miles northeast of its mother parish, it was licensed for marriages from the time of its completion as a church and became a full parish in 1882.  Holt sits just under 2 miles east of the B3078 road which links Wimborne Minster with Cranborne. Holt is a crossroads village built around an inverted Y-shaped junction with most properties lining the main arm, northeast to southwest, forming that junction (Holt Lane). Historically this area was largely untamed heathland sitting on extremely poor soils and almost extra-parochial in nature with most land used for pannage of pigs and exploited for heathland products. Holt is drained westwards by small brooks soon reaching the River Allen which heads south to meet the Stour at Wimborne Minster, here water turns east to reach Poole Harbour and the English Channel. Holt is sited at around 40 metres above the sea in gently rolling terrain where Bull Barrow at 57 metres marks the highest local ground. Roughly 5,500 acres of the vast parish of Wimborne Minster were assigned to Holt which held a population of around 1,300 parishioners - the dearth of marriages is created by the lack of a church until 1836 so all marriages would be at the mother parish. Holt is not mentioned in Domesday Book.

The Church

St James' church sits on the eastern side of Holt Lane alongside the Old Inn with which it shares a joint entrance. The church was built between 1834 & 1836 as a simple nave in the faux-Early English Gothic style that had become newly re-fashionable. Despite the modern construction it was refurnished in 1875 wherein the original galleries were removed. Finally in 1889 a chancel and transepts were added. Directly opposite the church sits a large car park allowing a relaxed visit. The entrance is through the inn's forecourt into an oblong churchyard which has few obstacles for the photographer.