Isle of Axholme
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The Isle of Axholme is part of North Lincolnshire. It is the only part of Lincolnshire west of the River Trent. It is between the three towns of Doncaster, Scunthorpe and Gainsborough.
The name Isle is given to the area since, prior to the area being drained by the Dutchman Cornelius Vermuyden, each town or village formerly lay on areas of dry, raised ground in the surrounding marshland. The River Don used to flow to the north and west (it has since been diverted), dividing the Isle from Yorkshire, the River Idle separates the Isle from Nottinghamshire and the River Trent separates the Isle from the rest of the county. There are three small towns: Epworth, birthplace of John Wesley and his brother Charles, Crowle and Haxey.
Other settlements on the isle include Garthorpe, Luddington, Eastoft, Belton, Wroot and Owston Ferry.
Much of the northern part of the Isle has flat topography, with rich farmland used mainly to grow wheat and sugar beat. The land is particularly fertile due to its history of annual flooding from the Trent and peat soil which was created by dense ancient woodland which covered much of the Isle. Even today, in many parts of the northern Isle, petrified wood can be found at about 6ft below ground which is a relic from this woodland.
A long-distance walking route, the "Peatlands Way" traverses the Isle.
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[edit] Etymology
Axholme means "island by Haxey", from the town name + Old Norse holmr "island". The name was recorded as Hakirhomle in 1196. (The Old English suffix "ey" in "Haxey" also indicates an island).
[edit] Town description
Bartholomew's Gazetteer of Britain compiled by Oliver Mason (John Bartholomew, 1833) wrote this description of the town:
| “ | Axholme, Isle of Area of slight elevation above flat and formerly marshy tract bounded by the Rivers Trent, Torne and Idle. Towns include Crowle, Belton, Epworth and Haxey on higher ground and Owston Ferry and West Butterwick beside the River Trent. | ” |
[edit] Road and railway
The Isle of Axholme Joint Railway traversed the area, but the line has now been abandoned. The M180 motorway now crosses the north of the area.
There was an Isle of Axholme Rural District from 1894 to 1974, which covered the entire Isle after 1936. This became part of the Boothferry district of Humberside in 1974, and since 1996 has been in the North Lincolnshire unitary authority.
