Commemorated on 1 plaque
This sign portrays the legend of the Holt Owl and replaces the sign which was presented by the Holt Women's Institute's in 1976. This new sign was provided by public subscription and erected in 1990. 'Holt' was the Anglo-Saxon word for wood. Centuries ago, the town was known as 'Holt Markett'. The manor of Holt was once held by Edward the Confessor (1042-1066), and is recorded in the Domesday Book (1086). In 1708 the town was devastated by fire, but was re-built and so acquired its Georgian character. The legend of the Holt owl goes back to the time when some local men caught an owl and put it in the Town Pound for "safe-keeping", whereupon the owl flew away.
Holt Owl sign - outside Barclays - High Street, Holt, United Kingdom where it is commemorated