 From 1981 until 1988 he served as the Master of Fitzwilliam College.He was on the governing body of Abingdon School from 1969 to 1979.Holt became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1978 and was its Vice President from 1987 to 1989, was president of the Royal Historical Society (1981–1985), and was knighted for his work as an historian.