Hollingworth - History

History

The village is named after the Hollingworth of Hollingworth family. The Hollingworths of Hollingworth are descendants of the Anglo-Norman family Houxvert, from French houx vert, or green holly. (Note: there is no evidence to support Frank Hollingworth's claim. See history above)

This is the conjecture of Frank Hollingworth, and he has published no research to back up the claims made that the family came with the Normans, not conquered by the Normans. The family motto is "Disce ferenda pati", or "Suffer that which must be borne", which is a veiled reference to the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the resulting subjugation of the Anglo-Saxon inhabitants, of which the Hollyngworthe family was one, and the village named for the family.

The family estate or manor was known as Hollingworth Hall, no longer standing, but the family's chapel does still remain. The Hollingworth/Hollingsworth name is an early Saxon name originating around 1022 when this family moved into northeast Cheshire and purchased an estate named Hollingworth Manor. (Note: there is no evidence to support Frank Hollingworth's claim. See history above)The name means a "Farm of Holly Trees". The Domesday Survey made during the Norman Conquests lists this manor as lying on the edge of a great woods at Macclesfield.

A visitation by an official herald in 1580 included the gentry, John Hollingsworth, Gentleman and Robert Hollingsworth of Hollinsworth. A further record of the time period states that Robert of Hollingsworth Hall is of whom the family descends. He was listed as the Magistrate for the counties of Cheshire and Lancaster. The church and hall belonging to this family that contain the Hollingsworth Coat of Arms is still standing. The last family member to own the hall, Capt. Robert Hollingsworth, died in 1865. The motto included was "Learn to suffer what must be borne."