Holmleigh is a detached house at the top of Church Road in Upton, next to St Mary’s Church Hall. It was built by William Inman of Upton Manor in 1869, a year after St Mary’s Church opened. The house was used by Mr Inman’s Estate Bailiff. In 1884 the house was given to St Mary’s Church by its then owner, Mrs Forbes of the Salacres.
In 1911 a new vicar came to St Mary’s, the reverend Canon Bellamy, he decided the vicarage on Ford Road, a big, rambling building and with seven bedrooms was not suitable, so he moved into Holmleigh. The old vicarage was sold as a private residence and renamed The Priory.
In 1928 a new Vicarage was built further down Church Road and Holmleigh was sold to Dr Bulmer, the first resident doctor in the village.
The church bought Holmleigh back in 1985, and it is now used for office accomodation and meeting rooms.
St Mary’s now has a 1.8 million pound plan to demolish Homleigh, and part of the church hall, and build a new building on the site.