pitt

Younger son of a former Prime Minister, this William Pitt was known as ‘Pitt the Younger’. In 1783, at the age of only 24 he became Prime Minister and remained so for much of the time until his death. He died relatively young, worn out by his efforts in galvanising Europe against the expansionist ideas of Napoleon.

He was a reformer at heart and would have introduced further changes if his time had not been dominated by the Anglo-French wars.  William, who was born at Hayes House, loved to go birds-nesting when he was a boy in the woods around Holwood House. These woods still stretch from Farnborough (the woods beside the A21) to Keston. From childhood he had wanted to call Holwood House his own and he achieved this in 1785.

By 1803 William could no longer afford the upkeep of Holwood House and reluctantly sold it. This was just three years before his death.
Holwood House, entry in Westerham Road, is now the offices of The Seismograph Co. It usually opened to the public once or twice a year. However, there are public footpaths that run past The Wilberforce Oak and another path runs beside the Holwood woods from Farnborough Common to Keston Ponds.