Town History

Holsworthy is a wonderful town which has a market charter dating back to the 12th century. One thousand years ago it was described as a Port Town. The word Port was a Saxon term for a secure place for trade - a market.

Holsworthy is mentioned in the Domesday Book as being in the estates and earldom of Harold, son and heir to Godwin in the year 1053. Remains of a small Norman Oratory (circa . 1130) can be found in the town's present church.

The date of the original Market and Fair Charter is 1155 to 1185. Since there was very little national government at the time, civil and criminal matters were dealt with locally. The spokesman for the villagers was known as the Portreeve and the ruling council as the Court Leet.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Court_leet) These positions were established in 1154 and this group was responsible for controlling things like weights and measures, the quality of bread and ale and hedge maintenance. The Court Leet used to hold their tribunals beneath the Great Tree. The last tree, an elm, died at the end of the 19th century, and its site is marked by a metal disc set in the road on Stanhope Square.

In 1992 an oak tree was planted in the square, it is hoped that this will rekindle interest in old traditions and the Portreeve and Court Leet (whilst having no power as such) still meet every year on the eve of St. Peter's Fair at the beginning of July. A second charter was granted by James I to Sir Nicholas Prideaux in 1614, this is proclaimed by the Town Crier during the Pretty Maid Ceremony on the Wednesday of St. Peter's Fair.

The coming of the railway in 1879 produced two graceful viaducts that can still be seen. Although the railway has now gone, it led to further prosperity for the town and its market and surroundings which were predominantly agricultural.

                            
                            Derriton Viaduct