THE SETTLEMENT OF HOLTON APPEARS THROUGHOUT THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD TO HAVE BEEN LARGER THAN ITS PRESENT SIZE MIGHT SUGGEST. IT DECLINED SHARPLY IN THE LATE C16 OR C17 AND DID NOT RECOVER UNTIL THE EARLY C19, AND THEN ONLY PARTLY, DUE TO NEW FARMS DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE PARISH. TRACES OF EARTHWORKS WITHIN AND AROUND THE VILLAGE ARE VISIBLE ON EARLY RAF VERTICAL APs. THE LATER HISTORY OF THE PARISH IS DOMINATED BY CREATION AND CONSOLIDATION OF THE DIXON HOLDINGS FROM 1741 ONWARDS, WHICH CULMINATED IN ITS ORGANISATION AS A TENANTED AGRICULTURAL ESTATE ONLY IN THE 1860s. THERE WAS PRE-PARLIAMENTARY ENCLOSURE OF UNKNOWN DATE. THE VILLAGE APPEARS TO DEMONSTRATE THE CHARACTERISTIC WEST LINDSEY PATTERN OF CLOSE PROXIMITY BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND ADJACENT MANOR HOUSE, ALTHOUGH C18 AND LATER EMPARKING AND ESTATE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE OBLITERATED ANY EVIDENCE OF OTHER SETTLEMENT RELATIONSHIPS. {1}~, HTM 26M