History of Holton

The village history dates back to the Domesday records. Holton Church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, dates from the 12th Century. General Fairfax leader of the Parliamentary forces used Holton Park’s moated manor house as his headquarters during the final siege of Oxford and in 1646 General Ireton married Bridget Cromwell at Holton Park in the presence of her father Oliver Cromwell, whose signature is in the Church Register.

Holton Park estate was a former deer park and site of a medieval manor and moat, the manor being replaced in 1801 by a stone Gothic style building with characteristic castellated parapets. The moat still remains but no part of the original medieval building stands and the park wall is still a significant feature of the village. Included now within Holton Park are Wheatley Park School, the Park Sports Centre and the Oxfordshire County Library headquarters.

Following on from consultation with the village over the past few years. The Victoria Reading Room Charity has now been closed, the bank account closed and the funds of £3,176.12 transferred to the Holton Village Hall Deposit Account. Holton Village Hall was the sole beneficiary of the Charity and funds must be used for the upkeep of the village hall