There have been settlements in the
area around Halesworth since the earliest times. A Roman road
is believed to have gone from Dunwich to Halesworth and it crossed
the River Blyth at Blyford, the adjoining village to Holton. The
road then turned westwards along the northern bank of the river
towards Halesworth passing through Holton.
Development in medieval times was relatively small and the
parish remained mainly agricultural with the village at its
centre. During the First World War soldiers were billeted in
the area.
A major change took place in Holton during World War II, when
one of the largest airfields in East Anglia was
built at Upper Holton. It became operational in 1943
and was the home of Zemke’s Wolfpack (56th Fighter
Group), the 489th Bomb Group and the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron
at various times from 1943 onwards. Glenn Miller and his orchestra
entertained the airmen on the base here in August 1944.
The Halesworth (Holton) Airfield Memorial Museum was set up by a
group of local volunteers with the support of Bernard Matthews and
now stands at the end of one of the runways of the World War II
airfield on Sparrowhawk Road in Upper Holton. Outside are three
memorials, one to each of the main groups who were stationed
there.
Click here
for more information on the Airfield Museum
The largest house in the area, Holton Hall, was demolished in 1957.
There 
is no information on exactly when the original Hall was built, but
it was purchased from a John Brewster Wilkinson by Andrew Johnston,
the Manager of Gurneys Bank in Halesworth and whose memorial plaque
can be seen in Halesworth Church. In 1882 a fire destroyed the
hall, which was rebuilt the following year. In 1887 it was
purchased by Colonel Charles Easton and when he died in 1909 the
Estate passed to his wife. During World War II the house was taken
over by the American Air Force as the Headquarters for Holton
Airfield. Then in 1945, when they left, the Land Army Girls resided
there until 1947. Today some of the grounds are occupied by mobile
homes within a nature conservation area.