Scratch the surface of Axminster and you find a town with a fascinating story to tell, relating to both its past and its present. Banners are a great way in which to bring those various stories to the fore while also brightening the streets through the summer-time.
an Axminster Chamber of Commerce project
The story so far
The Axminster banners adventure began in 2021 when a small group of three enthusiasts got together to make a plan to brighten the town centre. We recognised that banners were a great way in which to inject colour, but also an opportunity to celebrate what matters about the town. We then set about getting permissions and fund raising before delivering an initial 16 banners. In 2023, we raised more money and expanded to 26 banners. Our ambition in 2024 is to grow to a final trail of 36 banners and to cover a substantial area of the town centre.
Such a great crew
How we do it
The banners and their stories
1 - 2: The Crest That Tells a Story
Have you ever taken a close look at the Axminster coat of arms? The key elements are a golden globe surmounted by a cross, battle axes, the Minster church and a carpet weaving shuttle.
Location: The Guildhall, West Street
Sponsor: Axminster Town Council
3: Tribute to a Great Monarch
Our special 2022 banner celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s historic Platinum Jubilee after 70 years of incredible service.
Location: Former River Cottage, Trinity Square
Sponsor: Acorn Gift Shop
4: Welcoming Our New King
The official Coronation emblem pays tribute to the King's love of the natural world and is based on the flora of the four nations.
Location: Former River Cottage, Trinity Square
5: A Town With a Heart
Axminster’s road network neatly creates a heart around a town that is known for its big heart.
Location: Former River Cottage, Trinity Square
6: Outstandingly Beautiful Countryside
Whichever direction you go from Axminster you are quickly into some of Britain’s most stunning landscape
Location: Axminster Inn, Silver Street
7: Putting the Axe Into Axminster
The glorious River Axe rises as a small stream near Crewkerne in Dorset and runs a total of 22 miles before emptying into the sea at Axmouth
Location: Belluno Church Street
8: Countryside shaped by farming
Farming has done much to shape the East Devon countryside as a rolling green landscape
Location: The Bakehouse, West Street
9: Built On Independent Traders
The Axminster economy has grown up around small local businesses that are embedded in the community and serve it through thick and thin.
Location: Lou La Belle, Trinity Square
Sponsor: Lou La Belle
10: Wild and Wonderful
Wildlife around Axminster is as varied as the countryside, with huge habitat diversity
Location: Bennett & Rogers, West Street
11: Great British Brushes
Axminster was once an important British centre for the manufacture of tooth, nail and hairbrushes, employing hundreds of local people
Location: Castle Inn, Castle Hill
12: Sport For Everyone
It doesn’t matter whether you are eight or eighty, there is plenty of sport to be enjoyed in and around Axminster.
Location: The George Hotel, George Square
13: The Power of Community
Axminster is particularly strong when it comes to community, with a pervading sense of caring and belonging
Location: Reflection Hair & Beauty, Chard Street
14: A Great Tradition Revived
The Cherry Fayre is a popular feature of Axminster’s annual calendar and a tradition that dates back over 800 years
Location: Conservative Club, Silver Street
Sponsor: Monday Afternoon Crafts Group at the Guildhall (Hazel Hunt, Christine Newton, Jayne Brown, Jenny Frend, Cheryl Gardner, Caroline Smith)
15: Rail Link to So Much More
To many it’s a route to work, but Axminster Railway Station is also a tourist gateway for those who love the beautiful Jurassic Coast.
Location: Masonic Hall, South Street
Sponsor: Matthew Gunstone
16: The Home of Carpet Making
Axminster’s tradition of carpet making has taken the name of the town across the world and contributed greatly to local prosperity
Location: Belluno, Church Street
Sponsor: Axminster Carpets
17: Shed Drives Projects
The Axminster Community Shed has been in existence only since early 2022 but is already making a significant contribution to local life.
Location: Axminster Post Office, West Street
18: Lest We Forget
We all owe a huge debt to the men and women who have up their lives to ensure the freedoms that we all enjoy today.
Location: Axminster Banking Hub, Trinity Square
19: A Ruin With a Big History
Today, there are no above ground signs of it but for many years Newenham Abbey was the single most important building in the original parish of Axminster.
Location: Coming soon
20: Famous For Feathers
Did you know that Axminster is famous for feathers? They appear in films and on tv, military finery, fashion accessories and quill pens.
Location: Under repair
Sponsor: Jaffe et Fils
21: Where Justice Was Done
This used to be the home of law and order in Axminster - it’s police station and also the courthouse where misdeeds were dealt with. The large room on the upper floor was the Court. The police station and cells were at the rear.
Location: The Old Courthouse, West Street
22: The Magic of Market Day
The hustle and bustle of the street market brings extra vibrance to Trinity Square each Thursday. It is today’s face of a tradition that stretches right back to the 13th century.
Location: The Vape Shop, Chard Street
23: A Community That Loves to Perform
Axminster is a vibrant community in so many ways, none more so than in its capacity to perform via live events. This banner celebrates a whole host of performances.
Location: Morgan & York, Victoria Place
24: Key Role In D-Day Planning
Axminster was the site of an American hospital built as provision for the soldiers from D-Day. The empty buildings were occupied by locals before the site became the Millwey estate.
Location: Sweet Shop, Trinity Square
19: A Ruin With a Big History
Today, there are no above ground signs of it but for many years Newenham Abbey was the single most important building in the original parish of Axminster.
Location: The Bakehouse, West Street
25: Showcasing a Community
The Axe Vale Show showcases the very best that Axminster and the surrounding area has to offer, with the emphasis very much on participation and community involvement.
Location: Axminster Jewellers
26: Proud To Be a Twin
This banner celebrates Axminster’s close relationship with its French twin town of Douvres la Délivrande, a small community in Normandy near the D-Day beaches and close to the city of Caen.
Location: Scott Rowe, Chard Street
Sponsor: Morton’s Pharmacy
27: Passionate About Learning
We set years 5 and 6 pupils at Axminster Community Primary Academy the challenge of designing their own banner, and this beauty is what they came up with.
Location: The Tiffin Box, Trinity Square
28: The Minster Church
The Minister Church of St Mary is very much at the heart of Axminster, both in terms of its role in the community and its physical location at the very centre of the town.
Location: The Fabric Shop, West Street
29: Skatepark is on a Roll
The Axminster Skatepark has evolved over the past 20 years and is a state-of-the-art facility where riders of all ages and abilities support one another in progressing their skills.
Location: Coming soon
30: Working for Businesses
This banners campaign is an initiative from Axminster Chamber of Commerce. We also brought you the Axminster Scarecrow Trail and have been a prime mover in the ‘For the Love of a Railway’ project .
Location: Coming soon