The most extraordinary family is that of the Holland’s of Barton, who resided in the village for over 600 years. Richard de Holland was the first to settle in Barton, the Earl of Lancaster granted him extensive rights and privileges in the Forest of Needwood in 1314. He came from Upholland in Lancashire. Both Barton and Upholland were part of the Earldom (later the Duchy) of Lancaster then. Sir Robert de Holland, the head of the clan, was the Earl’s personal secretary and among the many gifts he received from the Earl was the Manor of Yoxall, three miles from Barton. The Earldom of Lancaster accounts for 1313 indicate that the Reeve of Barton delivered Richard de Holland "Instauris" of the Peak 9 shillings and 10 pence. Instauris can be translated as stock-keeper or stud-keeper. In 1322 the Earl of Lancaster organised a second rebellion against King Edward II. Richard de Holland of Barton, John de Myner of Blakenhall Park and Sir Robert de Holland of Yoxall took part in the battle of Burton Bridge in 1322 assisting the Earl of Lancaster against King Edward II. John de Myner, Master Forester of Needwood Forest, and Richard de Holland broke down bridges at Wychnor and Ridware in an attempt to impede the passage of the King. But King Edward II and his army crossed of the River Trent at Walton ford on his way to outflank the Earl of Lancaster at the battle of Burton Bridge. Richard de Holland had to face the courts for his part in damaging the bridges and according to the plea rolls for the County of Stafford he was fined 40 shillings. Richard de Holland and his son Richard were among several witnesses to a 1343 charter of property in Dunstall made by Sir Philip de Sommerville, Knight, Lord of Wychnor to Hugh de Newbold.

The Jury of the 1387 View of Frankpledge found that Richard Holland of Barton was feloniously murdered at night on the Feast of St. John the Baptist by his wife Joan and Thomas Graunger, an armourer who had fled. The case was a famous one of its day and many years later, Henry V heard the case again in 1414, whilst visiting Lichfield to examine the state of lawlessness in Staffordshire. The names of the Holland’s of Barton appear in court rolls, which record the proceedings of the manor and forest courts, later to be called "woodmotes". They appear mainly as jurors but occasionally as offenders.

Wales End Farm was owned by Johannes de Holand de Walesend, one of the Holland family (the name was spelt either way during the centuries), in 1509. Henry VIII ordered a muster of his entire army in 1538. Among the muster rolls for Barton-under-Needwood there were four Holland’s, Richard a descendant of Richard de Holland, Richard the younger, William and Nicholas. The first reference of the Dunstall Hall estate was in 1652, when it belonged to Thomas Bott having come to his family from the Holland’s of Barton.

The Holland’s were prominent in the community several of them being Church Wardens and Charity Trustees over the centuries. William Holland bequeathed land in 1639 given by will to the Overseers of the Poor. This was the site of the Workhouse built in 1784, which was a substantial three-storey brick building costing £84. The ground floor provided living quarters; the second and third floors were sleeping quarters and workshop area. Nine "alms houses" were later built behind the workhouse on the same piece of ground. What remains of the "alms houses" have been made into an L shaped cottage in Wales Lane. On the same site was the original garage for the Fire Engine, which was drawn by two horses, and the village "Lock-up". Used by the Constable, the forerunner of the jail.

Many Holland’s are buried in Barton churchyard, having lived on the family patrimonial estate and in the old family home "Holland House". This became the principal seat of the Holland’s, and stood in Moor Lane, now Station Road, until 1965. The Victorian Holland’s were benefactors of the village; it is reputed that they were friends with W.C. Grace, the legendary cricketer, who visited them at Holland House for tea.

John Holland (1798-1876) the first village post master, his daughter Elizabeth Holland (1838-1877) the first postmistress, his granddaughter Anne Jervis Holland (1854-1924) the second postmistress, his granddaughter Mary Emma Holland (1856-1938) the third postmistress are commemorated in church at the base of a window on the south aisle wall. This is confirmed by an entry in Whites Directory for 1834, which states that John Holland ran the Post Office at No. 19 Main Street, in what is now the solicitor's. The 1881 census states that Misses Anne and Mary Holland ran the Post Office. John Holland was a trustee of the William Key Charity according to the Charities Commissions report of 1839.

Opposite the Thomas Russell Infant School is Meadow Rise that was built in 1968 on the site of a large property, Holland House. This was the seat of the Holland’s of Barton. William Richard Holland died in Holland House in 1915 and a few years before his death had gave for the West window of Barton church, in memory of his parents Richard and Anne Holland who are buried at Tissington in Derbyshire. Major Hardy, who was related to the Holland’s, was the last to live in Holland House. There was a grand house auction sale in 1964 prior to the demolition in 1965.

In Station Road is Castle House, this was called "The Grove" until recently and was built in 1730. The house, kitchen block and stables have now been divided into three dwellings. This was once the home of Miss Mary Holland, daughter of William Richard Holland, who was a suffragette in the early 1900’s. She was a governor at Thomas Russell School from 1880. For many years she was the Poor Law Guardian and District Councillor. In 1923 she was made Justice of the Peace for the County of Stafford. She was the inaugural President of the Women’s Institute in 1918 and held that office until 1950. She was the last of the Holland’s to live in Barton, dying in 1959. Miss Mary Holland gave the Red Cross Headquarters building, in Station Road, to the Red Cross in 1958.

Barton was one of the first places in the provinces to take to Polo. The Polo field along with a golf course and a cricket pitch were on what is now the John Taylor High School campus. When the school was built, the Holland family gave a piece of land near the village pond to convert into a new cricket pitch. There were Holland’s in Barton up until 1959, well over 600 years, and probably a record for any family! Their name lives on in their patronage of the Holland Sports Club, which opened in 1962 and the Holland Tug of War Team.