Holt, Norfolk
| Town of Holt | |
|---|---|
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| In North Norfolk | |
 Shown within Norfolk |
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| In the United Kingdom | |
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| Geography | |
| Status: | Town |
| Government Region: | East of England |
| Administrative County: | Norfolk |
| Local Administration: | North Norfolk District Council |
| Admin. HQ: | NNDC Cromer |
| Grid reference: | TG 08 39 |
| ONS code: | 33UF048 |
| N.C.C. Code: | 1049 |
| Area (Hectares): | 1,219 |
| Demographics | |
| Population: | 3,550 (2001 census) |
| Ethnicity: | No Figures |
| Politics | |
| Parliamentary seat coverage: | North Norfolk |
| MP elected in the UK general election, 2005: | Norman Lamb |
| Party: | Liberal Democrat |
| Post Office and Telephone | |
| Postcode: | NR 25 |
| Dialling Code: | 01263 |
| Communications | |
| Railway: | North Norfolk Railway, Holt-Weybourne-Sheringham |
| Bus: | Sanders, First, Holt Flyer (Between town and railway staion, summer only) |
| Road: | Situated on the A148 King's Lynn-Cromer road. |
Holt is an English market town in the county of Norfolk. The town has a population of 3,550.[1] It lies on high ground some 3 miles south of the North Sea coast at Cley and is 21 miles north-north-west of the city of Norwich. Holt is within the area covered by North Norfolk District Council.
Character
Holt is an ancient market town which is notable for an abundance of Georgian buildings. This is because many of its medieval buildings were destroyed in a disastrous fire in the year 1708, which resulted in the present town centre being rebuilt in the style of the day, which was Georgian. However, the town retains its Norman parish church, which is dedicated to St Andrew.
The name Holt means a wood.
Education
Holt is best known in the rest of England for being the seat of Gresham's School, a long-established public school founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham, originally for boys only but co-educational since 1971.
The school's alumni include Benjamin Britten, Wystan Hugh Auden, Lord Reith, Sir Alan Lloyd Hodgkin, President Erskine Childers, Sir Christopher Cockerell, Donald Maclean, Sir Lennox Berkeley, Sir Stephen Spender, Tom Wintringham, Sir James Dyson, Stephen Fry, Ralph Firman, Sir Peter Brook, Sebastian Shaw, Sienna Guillory and Michael Cummings.[2]
Railways
One mile to the east of the town centre in High Kelling is the terminus for the North Norfolk Railway, the other end of the line being at the sea-side resort of Sheringham. The former Holt town centre railway station was served by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, which closed in 1963. Until a few years ago, a horse-bus service, the "Holt Flyer" ran between the Railway Tavern in the town centre and the new railway station, timed to connect with trains. The horse bus has now been replaced by a modern Routemaster bus.
Sport and recreation
Holt has a King George's Field in memorial to King George V.
The Doctor Who Midsummer Invasion
2006
On Sunday 25 June 2006, Holt was "invaded" by Daleks. The event was a celebration of BBC Television's classic science fiction series Doctor Who. The Doctor Who Midsummer Invasion attracted many fans of the ever-popular show to the town as well as some of its previous stars. Organised by Planet Skaro, a local sci-fi store, the highlight of the day was a Dalek parade through the town centre.
Several former Doctor Who actors came to see Holt be invaded. The visiting celebrities included the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker plus Terry Molloy, best known for playing Davros, the creator and leader of the Daleks. Deborah Watling, who played Victoria Waterfield alongside the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, also attended as did Barbara Loft, who was a child when she featured in the classic story The Mind Robber. All the stars were a real hit with the public when they signed autographs, photos and memorabilia in the High Street.
Some Cybermen were also in town as part of the Invasion.
Ken Wallis, who flew Little Nellie in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, was also in Holt meeting fans by his famous biplane.
At The Feathers Hotel on Saturday 24 June, there was a meet-and-greet buffet which gave some fans a chance to mingle with the stars before the Invasion took place the following day. Colin Baker was unable to attend this exclusive event as he was starring in a play that evening.
The Doctor Who themed events proved very popular, the Sunday especially so, with over 10,000 people visiting the town.
2007
Due to the success of the first Invasion, another science fiction themed event took place in Holt in 2007. On 30 June, between 10am and 4pm at the Church Hall, there was a Collectors Fair. Attendees at the fair included Mercedes Nogh (Rystall in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi), Barbara Loft from The Mind Robber, plus Spencer Chapman (a Doctor Who set designer from the 1960s).
Natives of Holt
- Dr Thomas Girdlestone (1758-1822)
- Sir John Gresham (1492-1556)
- Edmund Rogers (1823-1910)
- Sebastian Shaw (1905-1994)
- Sir Matthew Pinsent (born 1970)
See also
- List of closed railway stations in Britain
- A148 King's Lynn-Cromer road.
references
- ^ Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes."
- ^ Gresham's School official web site
Location
External links
- Holt Station Webcam
- Holt Town Council
- Bakers & Larners of Holt
- gallifreytwo.co.uk - Dalek Invasion meet-and-greet buffet gallery
- gallifreytwo.co.uk - Dalek Invasion gallery
- BBC Norfolk Online - Dalek Invasion gallery
- Holt windmills from the Norfolkmills website
References
- ^ Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes."
- ^ Gresham's School official web site
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