Axminster Heritage Centre

Thomas Whitty House, Silver Street, Axminster. Devon EX13 5AH

The Jewel in Axminister’s Crown

Thomas Whitty House can be found on Silver Street, Axminster EX13 5AH. This is the road leading off the town square by The Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin.  The Lyme Street car park behind us is now run by EDDC.  The next  nearest car park is Coombe Lane (behind Cinnamons ) with entry from Coombe Lane or South Street.   West Street (Co-op) car park opposite the Guildhall is also close by.

Winter Opening Hours:

Tuesdays and Thursdays  10:00am to 4:00pm

Saturdays 10:00am to 1:00pm

Museum Entry:  Adults £4.00,  Children 16 and under Free. 

On the last Saturday of each month EX13 residents can have free entry to the museum (proof of residency required)

The Heritage Centre provides tourist and local information, a gift shop and an extended museum. Our friendly volunteers are very welcoming and will be pleased to help you.

The Museum…
This is where  ‘The Story of Axminster’ and local history are brought to life in a modern interactive display exhibition for all the whole family. Children can enjoy their own trail with dressing up points and interactive activities.  Here you find out that Axminster is a lot more than Great Carpets. There is a lot more to find out about this wonderful small town. Come and pay us a visit, you will be pleasantly surprised.

The Dye House, Courtyard and Garden…
In the courtyard, beside the restored Dye House, our garden helps you learn about the plants used to create the dyes used  to colour Axminster carpets.

Temporary Exhibitions…
To complement our permanent exhibition we regularly present and host temporary exhibitions, Check ‘What’s On’  for information.

Find places to visit in the local area, local event information, walks, cycle routes, bus timetables and much more.

Axminster Heritage Alive…
Join in our extensive programme of friendly events, including talks, art and craft courses, and coach trips. Check ‘What’s On’ for more details of our current and upcoming events

The Axminster Heritage Museum is a fantastic place to visit and learn more about the history of Axminster.

Don’t Forget on the last Saturday of each month EX13 residents can have free entry to the museum (proof of residency required)

Better value is to become a member of Axminster Heritage, for just £12.50. Then you can visit the Museum as often as you want for a whole year, and there are other benefits. Please see our get involved page for further details. axminsterheritage.org/get-involved

At Our Information point inside the Centre you will find local bus and train timetables Places of Interest in and around Axminster as well as leaflets about places to visit in  East Devon, West Dorset and South Somerset.

The Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin and the Minster Green

Another Jewel in the crown of Axminster and very close to the Heritage Centre is The Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin and the Minster Green, Axminster’s town centre oasis of peace and quiet.  Axminster’s Minster Green is the ideal place in the town centre where shoppers and visitors can sit in peace and quiet.

It is also the location for the town’s war memorial and sometimes plays host to the occasional fundraising event under the shadow of Axminster’s much admired parish church,  The Minster Church of St. Mary the Virgin.  A Church of England church of  Norman origins, although much of the building dates from the 13th–15th centuries.

St. Mary the Virgin is the oldest building in the town, and has been Grade II* Listed since 1950.

Address: 3 Silver St, Axminster EX13 5AH

It is a 1 minute walk from the Axminster Heritage Centre.

Below is a link to Axminster Town Map produced by Totally  Locally Axminster.

axmap1

Axminster Heritage Centre signposted on the map between numbers 20 and 35 Silver Street is the building with the Tourist Information logo.

Other places to see and visit in Axminster will be listed here shortly.

Our special Interact page has frequent news and updates from groups and pages on Social Media of relevance to both visitors and locals.