Holsworthy, Devon
| Holsworthy | |
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 Town View |
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 Holsworthy
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| Holsworthy shown within Devon | |
| Population | 2,641 (2011 Census) |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HOLSWORTHY |
| Postcode district | EX22 |
| Dialling code | 01409 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Holsworthy is a small market town and civil parish in the local government district of Torridge, Devon, England. The county town of Exeter is 36.4 miles (58.6 km) to the east. The river Deer, a tributary of the river Tamar, forms the western boundary of the parish, which includes the village of Brandis Corner.
Holsworthy is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Haldeword. It was part of the Hundred of Black Torrington. According to the 2011 census the population of Holsworthy was 2,641.
The original meaning of "Holsworthy" is probably "Heald's enclosure". Derived from the Old English personal name "Heald" or "Healda", plus "-worthig", an enclosure, farm or estate. An alternative possibility is from Old English "heald" meaning incline or slope. In 1086 the name was recorded as Haldeword and as Haldeurdi (Exon). Other recorded spellings are Haldwwurth 1228, Halleswrthia -worth(e) -wordi late 12th-1291, Haldeswrthy -wrthi -worth 1277–1389, Holdesworthe 1308, Healdesworthe c. 1320, Hyallesworthi 1326, Houlsworthy 1675.
In 1066 the lord of the manor was Earl Harold and in 1066 it was William I. It was given by Henry II to Fulk Paganell. He gave it, with his daughter Gundred, to Matthew del Jartye. Their daughter and heiress brought it to Chaworth. Henry de Tracey purchased it from Chaworth, and it descended to the baronial family of Martyn. From them it passed by marriage to the lords Audley, and by an entail to the crown. King Edward III granted it to his son, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster. John Holland, Duke of Exeter, possessed it by a grant from the Crown, and in 1487 the manor was given for life to Margaret, Countess of Richmond. In 1621 Sir John Speccot (d. 1645) of Speccot in the parish of Merton, Devon, Sheriff of Cornwall in 1622, was lord of the manor. After that it was purchased by the Prideaux family of Soldon, Holsworthy. In about 1713, the manor of Holsworthy was sold by Prideaux to Thomas Pitt, 1st Earl of Londonderry, from whom it descended to Earl Stanhope. In 1932 Holsworthy Urban District Council purchased the manorial rights from Lord Stanhope and so became lords of the manor.
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