GLEBE

This is the name given to land that has been granted or retained for the use of the church and in particular the parish priest. Holt Church’s incumbents are listed below. The church stands in what used to be the grounds of Holt Castle. The rectory, with it’s surrounding glebe land, is some little distance away from the church. There were about 40 acres of glebe in 1839. This area remained constant for over a century.

St Martin’s, Holt

List of Rectors

1269 Giles de Alvechurch

1283 Simon de Bampton

1290 William de Alvechurch

1324 Gregory Byl de Salop

1329 Stephen Cassy

1334 Thomas Powys

1339 Geoffrey de Upton

1341 Henry de Gretford

1349 William Alwy

1349 Thomas atte Halle

1363 William Alewy

1363 William Rome

1369 Wiliam de Morton

1393 Thomas Wodeford

1393 John Bache

1395 John Wattes

1400 Walter Cook

1401 Walter Nicholles

1405 Thomas Stoke

1413 John Frankleyn

1414 John Osmond 1421 Richard Broxhede

1422 John Beo

1429 John Eburton

1434 Richard Parker

1469 Walter John

1472 Walter Smyth

1517 Edwarde Walshe

1554 Humphrey Hawes

1572 Henry Bedell

1607 Richard Farmer, A.M.

1619 William Panting, A.M.

1646 Isaac Charles

1657 Joseph Smith

1663 John Washbourne A.M.

1695 George Wall, S.T.P.

1679 William Pennel A.M.

1727 John Whitehead, A.B.

1740 Edwin Sandys B.C.L.

1764 Henry Thomas Foley M.A.

1812 John Foley M.A. 1847 Charles John Sale M.A.

1897 Frederick Charles Stamer, M.A.

1900 John Bourne Eccleston M.A.

1904 Alfred Cecil Fox B.D.

Holt has shared its rectors with Grimley since 1930.

The old rectory house in Holt is a grade II listed building. The listing reads 'The Old Rectory 29.7.59 II House, used as rectory, now divided into 2 houses. C16, rebuilt in C17, extended and altered in mid-C18 and mid-C19. Brick, tiled roofs, gable end parapets, large external coursed sandstone rubble chimney to west elevation with rebuilt brick stack, additional brick chimneys to sides and ridge of front range and to rear. Two storeys partly with dentilled eaves cornice. U-shaped plan, the eastern arm now forming the front elevation. Sandstone chimney is oldest part, probably at gable end of earlier timber-framed building on east-west axis. During C17 a 3 storey brick block of 2 parallel ranges replaced this structure and in 1739 this was reduced to 2 storeys and an additional block added to its east elevation. c1800 a further block was added to the east and a gardener's cottage built to the north of the house. Later during the C19 the cottage was incorporated into the house by means of a linking wing with the east front; also a north wing was added to the C17 west range and a gabled porch was built onto the east front. East front elevation: The c1800 left half is of orange and blue brick patterned Flemish bond. Four windows width; central entrance; all windows have cambered heads; ground floor windows are glazing bar sashes; on first floor the c1800 left half has two 3-light casements; the c1850 right half has 2 C20 casements. Central, brick, gabled porch, scalloped bargeboards and part-glazed door with cambered head. Gable end of former gardener's house adjoins to right having a C20 door and blocked ground floor window and attic light. The C18 part of the south elevation has a moulded doorcase with broken pediment and entablature on Doric columns; part-glazed door. Interior Alcove to left of sandstone chimney on both floors was formerly baking oven. A diamond-shaped plaque in the central C18 part of the building bears the initials "J F W" and the date "1739" and refers to the Reverend John Whitehead, who was responsible for the C18 additions.'