Axminster is a
market town and
civil parish on the eastern border of the county of
Devon in England. It is from the county town of
Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal c ...
. The town is built on a hill overlooking the
River Axe which heads towards the
English Channel at
Axmouth
Axmouth is a village, civil parish and former manor in the East Devon district of Devon, England, near the mouth of the River Axe. The village itself is about inland, on the east bank of the Axe estuary. The parish extends along the estuar ...
, and is in the
East Devon
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council has been based in Honiton since February 2019, and the largest town is Exmouth (with a population of 34,432 at the time of the 2011 census).
The district was formed o ...
local government district. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 5,626, increasing to 5,761 at the
2011 census. The town contains two
electoral wards (town and rural) the total sum of both wards being a population of 7,110. The
market is still held every Thursday.
Axminster gave its name to a type of
carpet
A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile was traditionally made from wool, but since the 20th century synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester hav ...
. An Axminster-type power loom is capable of weaving high quality carpets with many varying colours and patterns. While Axminster carpets are made in the town by
Axminster Carpets Ltd, this type of carpet is now manufactured all over the world as well.
History
The town dates back to the Celtic times of around 300 BC. It lies on two major
Roman roads: the
Fosse Way
The Fosse Way was a Roman road built in Britain during the first and second centuries AD that linked Isca Dumnoniorum (Exeter) in the southwest and Lindum Colonia ( Lincoln) to the northeast, via Lindinis (Ilchester), Aquae Sulis (Bath), Cori ...
from
Lincoln to
Seaton, and the
Dorchester to
Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal c ...
road. There was a
Roman fort
In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, the Latin word ''castrum'', plural ''castra'', was a military-related term.
In Latin usage, the singular form ''castrum'' meant 'fort', while the plural form ''castra'' meant 'camp'. The singular and ...
on the crossroads at
Woodbury Farm, just south of the present town. Axminster appears on the
Peutinger Map
' (Latin for "The Peutinger Map"), also referred to as Peutinger's Tabula or Peutinger Table, is an illustrated ' (ancient Roman road map) showing the layout of the ''cursus publicus'', the road network of the Roman Empire.
The map is a 13th-cen ...
, one of only 15
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
towns on that
Roman era
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...
map.
Axminster was recorded in the late 9th century as and in the
Domesday Book of 1086 as . The name means "monastery or large church by the River Axe" and is a mixture of languages; the river name ''
Axe
An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has man ...
'' has Celtic origins and is an
Old English word.
The history of the town is very much linked to the carpet industry, started by
Thomas Whitty Thomas Whitty (1713–1792) was an English carpet manufacturer who founded Axminster Carpets in 1755.
Whitty was impressed by a large Turkish carpet he saw at Cheapside Market in London, and upon his return to Axminster he used his skills as a we ...
at Court House near the church in 1755. The completion of the early hand tufted carpets was marked by a peal of bells from the parish church as it took a great amount of time and labour to complete them.
Axminster carpets
Axminster Carpets Ltd is an Axminster, Devon based English manufacturer of carpets, particularly the same-named Axminster carpets.
Background
Whilst visiting Cheapside Market, London, Devon-based weaver Thomas Whitty was impressed by a large T ...
continue to this day providing carpets for Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and other royalty-owned addresses.
In 1210, a charter was granted to the town that included the right to hold a weekly cattle market which took place in the market square until it was moved to Trinity Square in 1834. It then moved in October 1912 to a site off South Street where it was held for 94 years. It finally closed in 2006 in the aftermath of the
2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak
The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2001 caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism. This epizootic saw 2,000 cases of the disease in farms across most of the British countryside. Over 6 million cows and ...
.
[Historical Axminster Rotary Club ]Blue Plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...
s A building on the site then continued to be used for a general auction until all the buildings were demolished and replaced by a housing development.
The town was on the coaching route from London to Exeter. In 1760 a
coaching inn named The George Hotel was opened on the corner of Lyme Street and Chard Street on the site of an old inn called the Cross Keys that was destroyed by fire in 1759. Over 16
coaches
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
a day would stop at the hotel in its heyday for refreshments and to change horses, the building is now currently under refurbishment.
Axminster was on the route of
The Trafalgar Way
The Trafalgar Way is the name given to the historic route used to carry dispatches with the news of the Battle of Trafalgar overland from Falmouth to the Admiralty in London. The first messenger in November 1805 was Lieutenant John Richards Lape ...
which is the name given to the historic route used to carry
dispatches with the news of the
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval battle, naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy, French and Spanish Navy, Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–De ...
overland from
Falmouth, Cornwall, to the
Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
*Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Traf ...
in London in 1805 and there is a plaque commemorating this fact in the town centre.
Part of the parish of Axminster had historically been an
exclave
An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
of
Dorset until the
Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844
The Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844 (7 & 8 Vict. c. 61), which came into effect on 20 October 1844, was an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which eliminated many outliers or exclaves of counties in England and Wales for civil purposes. ...
, when it was fully incorporated into Devon.
Axminster railway station
Axminster railway station serves the town of Axminster in Devon, England. It is operated by South Western Railway and is situated on the West of England Main Line. It is down the line from .
History
The station opened on 19 July 1860 by LSW ...
was opened on 19 July 1860, with the
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exete ...
(LSWR) offering direct services between
Queen Street station in Exeter and
Yeovil. The station building was designed by the LSWR's architect
Sir William Tite
Sir William Tite (7 February 179820 April 1873) was an English architect who twice served as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He was particularly associated with various London buildings, with railway stations and cemetery ...
in mock gothic style. In 1903, the branch line from Axminster to
Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis is a town in west Dorset, England, west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. Sometimes dubbed the "Pearl of Dorset", it lies by the English Channel at the Dorset– Devon border. It has noted fossils in cliffs and beaches on the He ...
was opened. This branch line was closed with the
Beeching cuts, in the 1960s. One engine has been preserved on the
Bluebell Line, in
Sussex, while the station was dismantled and reconstructed at
New Alresford
New Alresford or simply Alresford ( or ) is a market town and civil parish in the City of Winchester district of Hampshire, England. It is northeast of Winchester and southwest of the town of Alton.
New Alresford has independent shops, a ...
, on the
Watercress Line
The Watercress Line is the marketing name of the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage railway in Hampshire, England, running from New Alresford to Alton where it connects to the National Rail network. The line gained its popular name in the d ...
, in
Hampshire.
Axminster is the southern starting point of the
Taunton Stop Line
The Taunton Stop Line was a World War II defensive line in southwest England. It was designed "to stop an enemy's advance from the west and in particular a rapid advance supported by armoured fighting vehicles (up to the size of a German medium ...
, a
World War II defensive line consisting of
pillbox Pillbox may refer to:
* Pill organizer, a container for medicine
* Pillbox hat, a woman's hat with a flat crown, straight upright sides, and no brim
* Pillbox (military)
A pillbox is a type of blockhouse, or concrete dug-in guard-post, normal ...
es and anti-tank obstacles, which runs north to the
Somerset
Somerset ( , ; Archaism, archaically Somersetshire , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in South West England which borders Gloucestershire and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east and Devon to the so ...
coast near
Highbridge.
Nearby
Kilmington was used as a location for the 1998
LWT
London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 un ...
adaptation of ''
Tess of the d'Urbervilles''. The celebrity chef and TV presenter
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Hugh Christopher Edmund Fearnley-Whittingstall (born 14 January 1965) is an English celebrity chef, television personality, journalist, food writer, and campaigner on food and environmental issues.
Fearnley-Whittingstall hosted the ''River Cot ...
has his
River Cottage H.Q. at a farm in the Axe valley. He has since purchased an old inn that once provided the ballroom of the town, now converted to an organic produce shop/market and canteen.
Geography
The
hamlet of Abbey Gate lies to the south of the town near the
A35 and
A358 intersection.
Other villages within of Axminster include
Chardstock,
Colyford
Colyford is a village in East Devon, England situated midway between Lyme Regis and Sidmouth on the A3052 road. To the north the village borders the town of Colyton and lies within the latter's civil parish boundaries. To the south is the sea ...
,
Combpyne
Combpyne is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Combpyne Rousdon, in the East Devon district, in the county of Devon, England. It is off the A3052 road between Colyford and Lyme Regis in Dorset. In 1931 the parish had a po ...
,
Dalwood
Dalwood is a village and county parish in the East Devon district of the English county of Devon. It is approximately away from the nearest town, Axminster, and away from Honiton. Dalwood can be accessed by the nearby A35 road. The village is ...
,
Hawkchurch
Hawkchurch is a village and civil parish in Devon, England, north east of Axminster on the border of Devon and Dorset, and about south of Somerset. It is north of the tourist and fishing town of Lyme Regis.
The parish, in the Archdeaconry ...
,
Kilmington,
Membury,
Musbury
Musbury is a village and civil parish in the East Devon district of Devon, England. It lies approximately away from Colyton and away from Axminster, the nearest towns. Musbury is served by the A358 road and lies on the route of the East D ...
,
Raymond's Hill,
Rousdon
Rousdon is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Combpyne Rousdon, in the East Devon district, in the county of Devon, England. It is off the A3052 road between Colyford and Lyme Regis in Dorset. In 1931 the parish had a popu ...
,
Shute,
Smallridge,
Tytherleigh,
Uplyme
Uplyme is an English village and civil parish in East Devon on the Devon-Dorset border and the River Lym, adjacent to the Dorset coastal town of Lyme Regis. It has a population of approximately 1700 recounted as 1663 at the 2011 census. ''Uply ...
and
Whitford.
Landmarks
*
Axminster Museum
*
Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
*
East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) covers over of the East Devon countryside ( England).
This countryside includes eighteen miles (29 km) of Heritage coastline. The designated area covers: twenty-nine parishes and borders the ...
*
East Devon Way
The East Devon Way is a long-distance footpath in England. It runs for between Exmouth in East Devon and Lyme Regis in Dorset.
Landscapes seen on the path include estuary, high open commons, woodlands and river valleys. The route includes so ...
*
Forde Abbey
Forde Abbey is a privately owned former Cistercian monastery in Dorset, England, with a postal address in Chard, Somerset. The house and gardens are run as a tourist attraction while the estate is farmed to provide additional revenue. Forde Abbey ...
*
Jurassic Coast
*
Lambert's Castle
Lambert's Castle is an Iron Age hillfort in the county of Dorset in southwest England.
*
Loughwood Meeting House
Loughwood Meeting House is a historic Baptist chapel, south of the village of Dalwood, Devon in England. There was a meeting house on this site in 1653, although the current building may date from the late 17th century or early 18th ...
*
Musbury Castle
Musbury Castle is an Iron Age Hill fort situated above the Village of Musbury in Devon. The fort occupies a commanding hill top approx 175 Metres above Sea Level overlooking the Axe
An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spellin ...
*
Shute Barton
::See also: New Shute House
Old Shute House (known as Shute Barton between about 1789 and the 20th century), located at Shute, near Colyton, Axminster, Devon, is the remnant of a mediaeval manor house with Tudor additions, under the owners ...
Amenities
The town has Cloakham Lawns, the Axe Valley Sports Centre and Flamingo Swimming Pool, a library, several churches and a museum of local history. Shops include three supermarkets, Trinity House, and several independent retailers. The Guildhall is a theatre with meeting rooms that hosts many events and clubs such as Axminster Drama Club and Axminster Operatic Society. The town is also home to a small,
local hospital.
Education
*
Axe Valley Academy
* Axminster Community Primary School
* St. Mary's Primary School
* All Saints Community Primary School
Transport
Road
Axminster is at the crossroads of the
A358, which links with the
A303
The A303 is a trunk road in southern England, running between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon via Stonehenge. Connecting the M3 motorway (Great Britain), M3 and the A30 road, A30, it is part of one of the main routes from London ...
at
Ilminster
Ilminster is a minster town and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England, with a population of 5,808. Bypassed in 1988, the town now lies just east of the junction of the A303 (London to Exeter) and the A358 (Taunton to C ...
, and the
A35 from
Southampton to
Honiton, which has been diverted by a
bypass to the south of the town.
Rail
Axminster railway station
Axminster railway station serves the town of Axminster in Devon, England. It is operated by South Western Railway and is situated on the West of England Main Line. It is down the line from .
History
The station opened on 19 July 1860 by LSW ...
is on the
West of England Main Line
The West of England line (also known as the West of England Main Line) is a British railway line from , Hampshire, to in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter; the line intersects with the Wessex Ma ...
that runs from
Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal c ...
via
Salisbury to
London Waterloo
Waterloo station (), also known as London Waterloo, is a central London terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Underground station o ...
.
Bus
Axminster is served by AVMT Buses' service 885 to local towns & villages including Seaton, Beer & Colyton.
Stagecoach South West
Stagecoach South West is a bus operator providing services in Devon and East Cornwall along with coach services to Bristol. It is a subsidiary of Stagecoach.
History Devon General
The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company commenced operat ...
,
The Buses of Somerset
The Buses of Somerset is the trading name used by bus operator First South West for services operated in Somerset from depots in the towns of Taunton and Bridgwater since 2014. The services were formerly managed as part of First Somerset & Avo ...
and
First Hampshire & Dorset
First Hampshire & Dorset is a bus operator providing services in the counties of Hampshire and Dorset. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup.
History
First Hampshire & Dorset was created out of various different smaller companies which were merged o ...
provide long-distance services to
Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal c ...
,
Weymouth,
Dorchester and
Taunton.
Twin towns
*
Douvres-la-Délivrande
Douvres-la-Délivrande () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. The name was simply Douvres until 1961, when it was expanded to refer to the basilica Notre-Dame de la Délivrande ("Our Lady of Del ...
, France
Historic estates
*
Weycroft, Axminster
Notable people
*
Steve Benbow
Stephen George "Steve" Benbow (29 November 1931 – 17 November 2006), was a British folk guitar player, singer and music director, who was influential in the English folk music revival of the 1960s. His obituary in ''The Times'' described hi ...
, folk musician
*
William Buckland, geologist and palaeontologist
See also
*
Taunton Stop Line
The Taunton Stop Line was a World War II defensive line in southwest England. It was designed "to stop an enemy's advance from the west and in particular a rapid advance supported by armoured fighting vehicles (up to the size of a German medium ...
Notes
References
*
Mee, A. ''The King's England: Devon'' (Hodder and Stoughton, 1965); pp. 25–26.
* Mills, A. D. ''Dictionary of English Place-Names''. Oxford University Press. .
External links
*
*
Devon Local Studies – Axminster community page*
{{authority control
Towns in Devon
Market towns in Devon
East Devon District