A bit of history
Holtby, a tiny village just 5½ miles fromYork. is first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The Scandinavian name Holt-by (Coppice-village) suggests it was an early Viking settlement. Its position on the mound (terminal moraine) left by the retreating glaciers of about 15,000 years ago made it an ideal location for settlement and transport. The wet but fertile lands (carrs) to the north were suitable for agriculture, until recently the main occupation of the inhabitants.
The village prospered during the agricultural revolution of the 18th century and has expanded from the 1960s to the present day. Nowadays the aim of the Parish and its Council is to combine the best of our history with the maintenance and future development of the environment.
Today
The parish has some 160 inhabitants in 65 houses or farms, of which 7 are listed and 11 of historical interest. The church of the Holy Trinity, also a listed building, is a Victorian reconstruction on an old Norman site.
We want to make the village as ‘green’ as possible, by improving the environment and reducing our carbon imprint through our lifestyle.
Things to enjoy
Village Green – sit and picnic.
The seat around the copper beech is an ideal resting and picnic place for passers-by.
It’s at the bottom of Main St, at the junction of Holtby Lane and the Warthill road.
Weir Pond – sit and gaze.
This watering place for cattle fell into disuse several years ago, but was restored in 2008 to create a place to sit and look at the water and the wildlife.
It’s just outside the village, at the dogleg on Holtby Lane
Holtby Wood – sit and take in the view.
This one-acre field has belonged to the Parish since anyone can remember. In 2009 we planted over 600 native trees and wild flowers to create a recreation and wildlife area. The superb views of Yorkshire make it an ideal destination for short walks.
It’s between the A166 and Back Lane, which runs off the top of Main Street.