The Holywell Ensemble was formed in 1983, taking its name from Oxford's Holywell Music Room, Europe's oldest purpose-built concert hall, opened in 1748, and a favoured concert venue of Handel, Haydn, Mozart and many others. It was here that the ensemble gave some of its early concerts.

Its South Bank debut in 1985 received considerable critical acclaim and the ensemble has continued to be noted for its lively and committed playing. The group toured Greece at the invitation of The British Council, and particularly impressed audiences with its evocative performances of the chamber music of bridge and Howells. In 1995 the Holywell Ensemble made its Wigmore Hall debut which was enthusiastically received by audience and critics alike.

Originally a piano quartet, the group has since expanded to include other instruments, and the versatililty of these different combinations results in a broad range of repertoire, from Mozart to Messiaen and beyond. The group has widened its repertoire with specially commissioned works, including Quae Est Ista by Hugh Collins Rice, which won the John Lowell Osgood Memorial Prize for Composition in 1989.

The Holywell Ensemble specialises in the performance of British chamber music and has released several CDs. The first, featuring the music of Howells and bridge, was selected as a BBC Music Magazine CD of the year in 1993. The Holywell Ensemble is available for concerts, workshops and lecture-recitals.