English
and Scottish Family Haunts
The town Axminster derives its name from the Valley of the Axe River in which it stands and also
from the old Abbey Church or "Minster". 1,2,3
Although the actual age of the town and the church of St. Mary's are not known, the remains of an
ancient Celtic Fort from 300 BC exist nearby. Then in Roman times the town gained much
prominence because it was situated at the river crossing and on the important cross-roads between the Fosseway (from Axmouth to Bath and Lincoln) and Icknield Street (from Exeter to London). 1, 2
In 786, after a confrontation between King Cynewulf and his contender Prince Cynehard in which both were killed, the Prince was brought to St. Mary's for burial. The Prince was entombed in a vault situated inside the church on the south side of the west door.2 In 937 King Athelstan founded a college of priests here following a major battle against the invading Danes fought outside the town. Axminster is recorded in the Doomsday Book 1086. In 1210 the town was granted a charter giving the right to hold a market and a fair-rights which are still exercised.1
Although the church has gone through several phases of restoration parts of it are still quite old. There is a Norman door and the Tower, dating to early 13th century, was built by our Owsley ancestor Alicia de Mohum. 1
One of the most curious characteristic of this Medieval Church are the Gargoyles. The origins Gargoyles actually date back to ancient Greece where they served a drain spouts to allow rainwater to flow away from the building and the roof. The word gargoyle comes from the French word for throat or pipe, gargouille.
References and Places for Further Research
1. http://www.axevalley.com/axminster/index.htm
2. Axminister Out Of the Mists
3. http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/DEV/Axminster/
