An old and ancient
market town. Although more of a village size than a town Holsworthy has
plenty of shops, pubs, restaurants and a eating places. There is
a leisure centre having an indoor heated swimming pool.
The huge Stanhope Park has childrens swings, climbing frames etc.
Every wednesday Holsworthy has an open air pannier market in the town square.
Holsworthy is of course best known for its famous Pretty Maid ceremony
when every july a fair is held and a deserving church going
maiden of the town is declared the 'pretty maid' with a big ceremony in
the town and a 'furry dance' finishing at the town's park. There
is a museum, worth a visit and only a nominal entrance fee, interesting
exhibits, mostly donated by local people and wonderfully describing the
traditions and history of the town. See this writer's mother in a
1930's photo of the group May Day early morning walk to bathe ones faces
in the dew of the local hedgerows!-a local traditional that died
out in the 1930's but at the time attracted a large number of the townsfolk!
