Editing Holt, Norfolk (section)

==Local points of interest==

===Holt Hall===
The hall, which stands in an {{convert|86|acre|ha|adj=on}} estate made up of ancient woodlands, lawns, lakes and gardens, was built in the 1840s and extended in the 1860s. It was owned by John Rogers, whose son Henry Burcham-Rogers inherited it from his father in 1906 and was still the owner when he died in 1945. A Grade II [[listed building]], it was subsequently owned by [[Norfolk County Council]], who used it as an outdoor education centre. In 2023, it was sold to Gresham's School, with funding from [[James Dyson]], a former student, making the acquisition possible.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/23354360.holt-hall-sale-greshams-completed-price-tag-revealed/ | title=Holt Hall sale to Gresham's completed and price tag revealed |newspaper=North Norfolk News | date=1 March 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-67439501 |title=Sir James Dyson pledges £35m to Gresham's for Holt Hall development |publisher=BBC News |date=17 November 2023 }}</ref> In August 2024, despite objections from [[Historic England]] and [[The Victorian Society]], the school was granted planning permission to demolish the north, services wing of the house and add a modern extension.<ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Moseley |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyn8g83e4eo |title=Dyson prep school plan approved - despite objections |publisher=BBC News |date=22 August 2024 }}</ref>
[[File:Byfords on Shirehall Plain, Holt - geograph.org.uk - 3135482.jpg|thumb|Byfords in 2012]]
===Byfords===
1–3 Shirehall Plain – The building is thought to be the oldest house in Holt (the cellar dates back to the 15th century), a survivor of the great fire of Holt in 1708 and a further fire in the building in 1906.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} The premises traded as a hardware shop or ironmonger's for over 100 years under the ownership of the Byford family. Byfords is now run as a café, delicatessen and [[bed and breakfast|B&B]].

===Blind Sam===
Blind Sam is the name given locally to the [[Queen Victoria]] Jubilee Lantern located in Obelisk Plain.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} From the year of Victoria's [[Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria|Golden Jubilee]] in 1887 until 1921 it stood in the Market Place, where it had two functions, to provide light to the Market Place and to provide drinking water from two fountains at the bottom. The light was powered by the town's gas supply, which at the time was sporadic and unreliable, hence the nickname "Blind Sam". It was moved to Obelisk Plain in 1921 to make way for the war memorial. Made by ironmongers in [[Glasgow]], it was restored in the 1990s.

===Obelisk===
The pineapple-topped obelisk at Holt is one of a pair of gateposts from [[Melton Constable]] Park, the other having been given to the town of Dereham in 1757. Each gatepost had the distances to various places from Holt and Dereham respectively carved into the stone. At the start of the [[Second World War]], to avoid assisting the enemy in the event of invasion, the townspeople of Dereham dumped their obelisk down a deep well, where it remains to this day.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} The people of Holt whitewashed their obelisk at the start of the Second World War and it remains in good condition.

===Chapel Yard===
[[File:Chapel yard cottages 4 5 6 7 Holt Norfolk 1982.2.jpg|thumb|Chapel Yard in 1982: cottages 4, 5, 6 and 7 (right)|left]][[File:Chapel.yard.Holt-1982.jpg|thumb|Chapel Yard in 1982: old drill hall, flint workers' cottages, now removed warehouses (right)]]
Chapel Yard, the first major retail development in Holt in modern times, was developed in 1983 within the conservation zone by architect Eric Goodman and Richard Webster, with removal of 1950s warehouses and adaptation of derelict flint workers' cottages, a chapel, the old fire station, and the reservists' drill hall. During renovations, Goodman discovered that the cottages at 3, 4, 5 and 6 Chapel Yard dated to the mid-16th century; they are the oldest known buildings in the conservation area and have since been given Grade II listed status.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1168908 |desc=3, 4, 5 AND 6, CHAPEL YARD, Holt |accessdate=3 October 2022}}</ref> The massive chimney breasts have pockets for drying grain. Corn was discovered in pots during renovation.

Goodman added two new buildings with doors and windows inset behind a covered walkway and with pan tile roofs supported by oak buttresses, derived from a traditional 'Norfolk cart shed'. The model of a 'yard' of shops, making use of both small workers' cottages and redundant land, was later adopted for Apple Yard by Ru Bruce-Lockhart, who consulted Goodman on the design of his scheme,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://idoxpa.north-norfolk.gov.uk/onlineapplications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=ZZZT5CLNMS416&activeTab=summary |title=Planning application |website=Idoxpa.north-norfolk.gov }}{{dead link|date=May 2024}}</ref> and for Lee's Yard, Feather Yard, Hoppers Yard and Franklyn's Yard. Goodman was also consulted on the design of a new supermarket in Holt, built in 1986 and also based on a Norfolk cart shed. The supermarket, now Budgen's, received the 1986 Graham Alan Award, an award from [[North Norfolk District Council]] which is given both for conservation and restoration and for well-designed new buildings, including those that make innovative use of traditional design forms and detailing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/conservation/conservation-and-design-award-winners/ |website=North Norfolk District Council|title=Graham Allen Award winners }}</ref>
[[File:Chapel Yard, Holt - geograph.org.uk - 5386533.jpg|thumb|Chapel Yard in 2017]]
Chapel Yard itself did not receive the Graham Alan Award, because Graham Alan's son Mike Alan had consulted on the development. The judges instead sent a letter of recognition. The Norfolk Society awarded a certificate in March 1984. In addition, [[Historic England]] gave the buildings at 12 and 8 Albert Street Grade II listed status to protect the newly built environment; Goodman may be the only known design architect to receive such an accolade for a new development in North Norfolk.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1049330 |desc=12, ALBERT STREET, Holt |accessdate=3 October 2022}}</ref> In 2022 the then MP for North Norfolk [[Duncan Baker]] recommended Goodman for an MBE. Chapel Yard is referenced as part of the 2021 Holt Conservation Appraisal and Management Plan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/media/1455/caa_holt.pdf |title= Holt: Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan |publisher=North Norfolk District Council |date=August 2021 |pages=13, 16, 18, 43, 44, 67, 76, 86, 98, 99, 128, 195}}</ref>