Axminster Nub News aims to be supportive to every element of the community from businesses, shops and people to charities, clubs and sports organisations.

We will be profiling some of these local businesses and groups regularly over the coming weeks in a feature called 'Up Close'.

This week Philip Evans reports on a recent Axminster Heritage Centre and in a podcast, which you can access at the end of this story, and interviews Heritage Centre volunteer David Knapman, author of a new book on Axminster entitled 'Unsteady Progress – A History of Axminster from 1701 to 2000'.

It all started with celebrating the 250th anniversary of carpet making in Axminster which brought world fame to the East Devon town, the highlight of which was the re-enactment of the carrying through the streets the carpet made by Thomas Whitty in 1769.

The celebration was named "The Weavers' Tale" and it was appropriate that this beautiful example of 18th century carpet making was carried by the modern-day weavers who were employed at the factory established in 1937 by Harry Dutfield when it was something to have "an Axminster from Axminster".

It was an event which inspired a group of prominent Axminster citizens to ensure that the town's illustrious history, in which carpet making has featured so importantly, would form the centrepiece of a permanent home which paid due respect to the diverse heritage of this carpet town.

That magnificent 18th century carpet – so admired by of King George III when he visited the Thomas Whitty factory - now stands proudly as the focal point in the recently re-opened Axminster Heritage Centre in Silver Street, located in the former Thomas Whitty factory.

Whilst no one would argue the impact that carpet manufacturing has had on the history of Axminster, this is a town whose past has thrown up so many fascinating historical facts which the heritage centre displays in a most interesting and professional way.

Back in the days when I was editing Pulman's Weekly News, launched in 1857 by George Pulman, author of the much admired "Book of The Axe", I was closely involved with publishing a booklet about 'The Weavers' Tales' and had a front row seat to witness how hard those behind the project worked to deliver a top class heritage centre for Axminster. For some it became an obsession and nothing was going to stop them achieving their ambition, despite the frailty of the economy at that time.

It was not a journey without its set-backs and disappointments. But such was their determination to overcome that eventually the necessary funding, around £1.5million, a huge achievement in itself in such uncertain financial times, was secured after many false dawns and experts were commissioned to provide Axminster with a world class visitor centre, coupled with museum, of which the town should be mighty proud.

I lost touch with the project after moving on from Pulman's Weekly News, although I was aware that the centre opened to widespread acclaim. So a few weeks back I spent a fascinating couple of hours being escorted around Thomas Whitty house and the heritage centre – and I was blown away with how professional the history of Axminster had been presented, using the old building to its very best.

Naturally, carpet-making features strongly but you soon become aware when touring the centre that there is more to this town. Carpet-making gave Axminster a world-wide reputation. But there are so many more fascinating aspects to Axminster's history.

And I could not have been given a better guide than heritage centre volunteer and recently published author David Knapman whose knowledge and pride in his home town shines through in a wonderfully infectious manner. This is a man who knows his subject.

From entering the centre, greeted by a montage of well-known Axminster characters down the ages, through the various historical events illustrated in the most fascinating way, to admiring the sheer ingenuity of the early loom which produced that wonderful carpet in the 18th century so much admired by royalty and into the reception area where volunteers are anxious to complete the Axminster experience – I could think of no better way to spend a Saturday morning. Informative and educational, there is plenty to keep children immersed and adults fascinated and perhaps a little overawed by the sheer professionalism of the whole experience.

As the centre was forced to close its doors due to the COVID-19 lockdown, David Knapman was about to launch his brilliantly researched book – "Unsteady progress – a History of Axminster from 1701 to 2000". It is no wonder that his knowledge of Axminster is so extensive. This is – by far – the most comprehensive history of Axminster ever written, fastidiously researched with much information coming from the digital British Newspaper Archive, one source being Pulman's Weekly News.

Cleverly, David tells 300-years of local history in ten 30-year chapters comprising 480 fact-packed pages. Naturally, I was interested in the chapter than cover the 1970s when I followed the iconic Wally Fellender as Axminster's reporter on Pulman's and it brought back so many happy memories of covering all that happened in and around Axminster following in the footsteps of the man who was my journalistic hero.

David's book is on sale from Axminster Heritage Centre at £16.50. It's a must purchase for all those with an interest in the history of Axminster.

For further information please speak to centre manager, Nigel Sadler on 01297 639884 (Thursday/Friday) or email [email protected]

Listen to my podcast with David, chatting about his recollections of Axminster when he was a boy and how he went about writing this definitive history, by clicking here. You can also download the podcast direct to your computer or phone by clicking here.