By Harry Mottram: On Saturday 1st November, 2025, in the Town Hall there’s a free evening of illustrated talks and films about the town’s many historic buildings and the secrets they hold. Of war, of peace, poverty and wealth – their social history will be brought to life by a number of residents and expert speakers who have seen huge changes in the town as they celebrate Axbridge through memories, music, history and anecdotes featuring the Town Hall’s state of the art laser projector and screen.
Contributions from The Friends of Axbridge Church – a non religious group who help to maintain the fabric and monuments of the building for visitors to enjoy – the Trustees of Axe Vale Arts Centre on their plans for the former Methodist Church – the local history society based at King John’s Hunting Lodge Museum – and the Town Trust who care for the Square and the Town Hall with notes on the long history of the town’s centre piece.
The Town Square
Axbridge Square has been a site of a Saxon fort or burh, essentially a fortified town with its own mint and garrison when it was listed in the Burghal Hidage in AD910 when it was known as Axanbrycg. It’s been a market square, a car park, a hiring fair, site of the funfair and carnival, part of the A371 before the bypass was built and a stage for the town’s history play or pageant – the next one is in 2029. It has changed over the years when there was a garage and petrol station plus several shops lining its sides. The Town Trust are charged with its upkeep and will give more details of the Square and the Town Hall – both key historic features of the town. The main image is of the last pageant taken by Barry Cawston.
King John’s Hunting Lodge
Built c.1460 in Axbridge, the wool merchant’s house is a jettied timber-frame building of three storeys, occupying the corner plot on the town square. The building has served a variety of purposes with shops on the ground floor and workshops and living quarters on the first and second floors. At one time part of the building was occupied by the King’s Head Inn; a sculpture of a king’s head, which acted as a sign for the pub, is preserved within and a replica is attached to the outside. The lodge was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1971, and repairs were undertaken to reverse significant deterioration to the building. The house is leased by the National Trust to Axbridge and District Museum Trust, who operate it as a local museum which includes exhibits relating to local geology and history from the Neolithic to World War II. It is a Grade II* listed building. More details on the night from the local historians.
Methodist Church – now Axe Vale Arts Centre
Paul Hughes and Pete Harding both residents of West Street led a campaign begun last year to repurpose the Gothic church as an possible arts centre. The early Victorian building built in 1850 at a cost of £500 is now a functioning centre for the arts with a string of events set out with music and theatre key elements to the programme. They will speak about their plans to eventually buy the building for the town from the church authorities. Like Dr Who’s Tardis the church is more than its outward appearance suggests with a small front garden and yard, a side entrance to back rooms below the church proper with sheds, kitchens, toilets and storage space. The school room is spacious having been used for rehearsals, social gatherings and a playgroup in the past. It links to the kitchens and storerooms along a corridor accessed by steps outside and from the vestry. The main body of the church includes a balcony area for the choir or more members of the congregation, a period organ, a magnificent raised preaching area suitable for musicians or singers, a cleared area by the entrance and a vestry room to the side of the organ accessed by steps.
Church of St John the Baptist
If you have never been in the church then take a few minutes to enter the Grade I listed building begun in the 13th century and look up. It’s 1636 blue and white ceiling is priceless – while its crossing tower, which was built around 1400, is over 100 feet (30 m) high, and holds six bells, one of which dating from 1723 was made by Edward Bilbie of the Bilbie family. The Friends of the Church raise cash for the upkeep of the historic structures and memorials as well as to enhance a visit to the church – such as the neat entrance adjusted for those in wheel chairs and the magnificent glass doors.
Axbridge News and Harry Mottram
For more news, views, reviews, previews and features about Axbridge visit www.harrymottram.co.uk
Also visit the Axbridge Community FaceBook site at https://www.facebook.com/groups/393368381558682
Follow him on Facebook, X, BlueSky, Blogger, Instagram, Threads, Pinterest, TikTok and YouTube.
Or email him at harryfmottram@gmail.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.