Axminster Heritage Centre

Axminster Heritage Centre is the town museum of Axminster in East Devon, housed in the old Whitty carpet factory, a Grade II listed building. It is the place to understand why the name of a small Devon market town ended up on floors around the world.

What is Axminster Heritage Centre?

The centre combines the local museum with a tourist information point. It occupies the building where Thomas Whitty set up his workshop and wove the first Axminster carpets in the middle of the 18th century. The premises were bought by a heritage company in July 2012 and turned into a visitor attraction, so you are standing in the very place where the story began rather than in a purpose-built gallery.

Why is Axminster famous for carpets?

The story runs in two chapters. The first, from 1755 to 1835, belongs to Thomas Whitty and his family. They produced hand-knotted carpets on tall vertical looms of Thomas's own design. The family business ended in 1835 with the bankruptcy of his grandson, Samuel Ramson Whitty, and the factory and looms were sold the following year.

The second chapter began in the 1930s. In 1937 Harry Dutfield arrived from Kidderminster with a small group of skilled carpet makers and revived the craft in the town. The company continued for decades; in February 2020 it went into administration, and in March 2020 a group of investors, including former owners, bought it out of administration.

What can you see inside?

• An original 18th-century loom, the kind of machine that made the early carpets.
• A carpet woven by the Whitty workshop in 1769, a rare surviving example of the hand-knotted tradition.
• A fully working loom from the 1930s, which shows how the later era of production differed from the first.
• A garden devoted to the plants once used to make dyes, helping visitors connect colour in a carpet with the crops and herbs behind it.

The museum does not stop at carpets. It also tells the wider story of the town, including its role as an important centre of brush making, notably toothbrushes.

Who is it for?

It suits anyone interested in textiles, industrial history or small-town heritage, and families looking for a compact, hands-on stop on a trip along the East Devon coast and countryside. Because the exhibits are concentrated in one historic building, a visit does not require a whole day, and it pairs well with a walk around Axminster itself.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Axminster Heritage Centre? In the town of Axminster, East Devon, in southwest England, close to the border with Dorset.

Is it an industrial museum? Yes. It is classed as an industrial museum, with carpet manufacture as its central theme, alongside general local history.

Is the building historic? Yes. It is the former Whitty carpet factory and has Grade II listed status.

Can I see a working loom? The collection includes a fully working loom from the 1930s, as well as an original 18th-century loom.

What are the opening hours? Opening times vary by season, so check the museum's own website before you travel.