By Tim Lambert
Early Axminster
The Romans built a fort at Woodbury Farm near Axminster. There was also a small town in Roman times. It’s believed the Roman settlement was called Moridunum. However, modern Axminster began as a Saxon settlement.
In the 8th century, Axminster was part of the Saxon kingdom of Wessex. About 70,5 the Saxons built a minster church (a church that was part of a monastery). It was near the River Axe. The two gave Axminster its name, which was first recorded in 755. In the late 9th century, Axminster was made a burh, or fortified settlement.
By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, Axminster may have had a population of about 200. By the standards of the time, it was quite a large village. Axminster had 2 watermills to grind grain into flour.
In 1204, Axminster was given a charter, allowing it to hold weekly markets. In 1210, it was also allowed to hold annual fairs. Newenham Abbey was founded in 1246.
In 1644, during the English Civil War, much of Axminster was burned by Parliamentary forces. However, the town was soon rebuilt.
Axminster is, of course, known for its carpets. The carpet industry was started in 1755 by a man named Thomas Whitty. In the late 18th century, Axminster was also a stagecoaching town. The George Inn was built in 1760.
Modern Axminster
At the beginning of the 19th century, Axminster was a small but busy market town. The Trafalgar Way got its name because news of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 was carried along this route from Falmouth to London.
In 1901, the population of Axminster was 3,993, and it continued to grow. Amenities in the town improved. A gasworks opened in 1838. Axminster Railway Station opened in 1860. The Old Courthouse was built in 1864.
In 1886, Axminster gained its first hospital, the Axminster Cottage Hospital. Jubilee Fountain was erected in 1887.
Axminster War Memorial was erected in 1921. In 1928, the town gained an electricity supply, and Axminster Guildhall was built in 1931. Axminster By-pass opened in 1991. However, the Axminster cattle market, which had been held for centuries, closed in 2006.
The first museum in Axminster opened in 1982. However, Axminster Heritage Centre opened in 2016.
Today, Axminster is a small but thriving market town. In 2025, the population of Axminster was 8,000.
