Holsworthy in 1836
Holsworthy is in the hundred of Black Torrington, not far from the east or left bank of a small stream that flows .southward into the Tamer : it is forty-one or forty-two miles west by north of Exeter. The parish, which comprises 8,870 acres, includes besides the town, four villages, if not more : the population in 1831 was 1,628 ; not quite half of the adult .males were engaged in agriculture.
The Bude and Holsworthy canal, which unites with the Bude and Launceston canal, passes near the town. The market, which was held formerly on Saturday, has lately been changed to Wednesday : there is a great market on the second Wednesday in February, and there are three fairs in the year ; one of them (in October) is a great fair for cattle and all sorts of commodities.
The parish church is ancient : it has some Norman piers and a plain Norman door, and some portions of later date. There were formerly chapels at Chelsworthy and Thorne in the parish. There are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan Methodists.
The petty sessions for the division are held at Holsworthy. The living is a rectory of the yearly value of £478, with a glebe-house. In 1833 there were in the parish six day-schools (one of them partly supported by subscription) with 222 children, and three Sunday-schools with about 250 children.
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