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Axminster Flooding

Devon • Live river level monitoring on River Axe
1 monitoring station
1 river
8 warning areas
🏠 Thinking of buying in Axminster? Get the detailed Property Flood-Risk Report for any Axminster postcode — official risk band, recorded floods since 1703, warning history, river behaviour and nearby storm overflows. £19 one-off, instant. Learn more →

Does Axminster flood? 22 postcodes in Axminster are in the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk data (12 High, 6 Medium likelihood) — the breakdown is further down this page.

Flood risk in Axminster today: Normal

No official flood warning is active nearby and the closest river stations are within normal ranges.

Updated 2026-10-10 04:44:56 UTC · Official GOV.UK warnings · Flood preparation & help guide

About Axminster
Axminster
Town in Devon, England

Axminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of the county of Devon in England. It is 28 miles (45 km) from the county town of Exeter. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmouth, and is in the East Devon local government district. At the 2011 census, the parish had a population of 6,557, increasing to 8,118 at the 2021 census. The town contains two electoral wards whose combined population is 8,125. The market is still held every Thursday.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Flood Contacts
Floodline 24hr
0345 988 1188
Emergency
999
The map of Axminster’s gauges and flood maps loads as you reach it.
Recent Flood Events
30 Sep 2026 13:12 Flood Alert
North Devon coast from Hartland Point to Lynmouth
30 Sep 2026 13:11 Flood Alert
South Devon coast from Start Point to Dawlish Warren
30 Sep 2026 13:10 Flood Alert
South Devon Estuaries
30 Sep 2026 10:43 Flood Alert
Plymouth Sound, Wembury Bay and tidal estuaries
29 Sep 2026 14:52 Flood Alert
South Devon coast from Start Point to Dawlish Warren
29 Sep 2026 14:12 Flood Alert
South Devon Estuaries

Does Axminster flood?

Ordnance Survey places 22 postcodes in Axminster in the Environment Agency's rivers-and-sea flood-risk dataset (Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea). Each postcode is counted once, under the worst band any of its properties reaches; together they hold 291 properties in the EA dataset's likelihood bands.

EA likelihood bandPostcodes (worst band)Properties in the EA datasetof which homes
High12203167
Medium66733
Low42117
Very low000
All bands22291217

This dataset covers flooding from rivers and the sea only — one of five flood sources. Surface water, groundwater, sewers and reservoirs are assessed separately, so a postcode missing from it is not proof that a place cannot flood. The band describes the land around properties (allowing for defences), not any single address and not today's conditions.

The 22 at-risk postcodes in Axminster, worst band first

High likelihood (12)

Medium likelihood (6)

Low likelihood (4)

Postcode districts

Places nearby with a page of their own

Lyme Regis · Seaton

Flood-risk bands: © Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2025. All rights reserved. Some features of this map are based on digital spatial data from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, © NERC (CEH). © Crown Copyright and Database Rights 2025 OS AC0000807064. This product is produced in part from PAF® and Multiple Residence Data, the copyright in which is owned by Royal Mail Group Limited and/or Royal Mail Group plc. All rights reserved. Licence number AC0000807064.

Place names: Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026. Contains Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right 2026. Contains National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

All data sources & licences

The watercourse nearest Axminster

The nearest watercourse on the river map is an unnamed stream, about 10 m from the middle of Axminster's gauges. It flows into the River Axe about 10 m downstream.

A gauge downstream shows water that has already passed this point; one upstream sees it first. Distances along the river are from the point on an unnamed stream nearest the middle of Axminster's gauges. From Ordnance Survey’s river map (OS Open Rivers), which leaves out small streams, ditches and culverts, so a nearer one may exist. This describes where water goes on the map; it says nothing about flooding at any address. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database rights 2026.

Useful Links
Flood Monitoring in Axminster

Axminster is monitored by 1 Environment Agency river level station on the River Axe, in Devon. Water levels are updated every 15 minutes, providing real-time flood monitoring for the area.

Monitoring Stations

The River Axe is monitored by 1 station (Weycroft Bridge). Each station records water levels continuously, with data synced to FloodRadar every 5 minutes.

Flood Warning Areas

There are 8 Environment Agency flood warning areas within 10km of Axminster. When the EA issues a flood warning for any of these areas, it will appear on this page. These include: low lying properties and roads around Stoney Bridge and Castle Hill in Axminster; Rivers Axe, Coly, Yarty, Umborne Brook and coastal streams from Branscombe to Axmouth; riverside locations and roads between Winsham and Axminster, including Chard Junction, Coaxden Cottages and Weycroft; Riverside locations and roads between Yarcombe and Axminster, including Long Bridge, Case Bridge, Beckford Bridge and Yarty Bridge.

Sewage Discharge Monitoring

There are 6 storm overflows within 5km of Axminster. None of the 5 with a reporting monitor are currently discharging (1 has no live status right now). Enable "Sewage" on the map above to see their locations.

Each has its own page of live status and past discharges:

What To Do During A Flood

If flooding is forecast in Axminster, call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 for the latest information. Move valuables upstairs, turn off gas and electricity if safe to do so, and avoid walking or driving through flood water. Sign up for flood warnings on any station page above to receive email alerts when water levels rise. For emergency numbers, a preparation checklist and insurance guidance, see our flood help & preparation guide.

How much rain falls on Axminster

Axminster gets about 1,051 mm of rain a year on average (wettest month November, 124 mm; driest July, 59 mm). That is close to the UK as a whole, which averages 1,163 mm a year. See the rain gauges →

A thirty-year average for the area, not a forecast and not a flood risk on its own. Source: Met Office HadUK-Grid 1991–2020 (5 km grid), 3.0 km away. Average rainfall: HadUK-Grid v1.3.2, Met Office. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Recorded floods near Axminster

Floods whose mapped extent (EA Recorded Flood Outlines) reached within ~5 km of the town centre — most recent first. These are records of mapped extents, not a full list of floods. See them on the map →

  • 2012-11-26 — South Chard_Nov 2012 (Ordinary watercourse)
  • 2012-11-01 — This represents flooding in the area in 2012
  • 2012-07-07 — Axminster Flood July 2012 (Main river)
  • 2012-07-07 — Axminster Flood July 2012 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe10 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe7 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe4 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe11 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe6 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe9 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe8 (Main river)
  • 2008-10-30 — Axe5 (Main river)

Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded.

Frequently asked questions

Is there flooding in Axminster today?

Current verdict: Normal. No official flood warning is active nearby and the closest river stations are within normal ranges.

Which rivers affect Axminster?

Axminster has river level monitoring on River Axe — 1 monitoring station in total.

How do I check official flood warnings for Axminster?

Use the GOV.UK Check for Flooding service (check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk) or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 (24 hours). You can also set up free FloodRadar email or browser alerts from any station page above.

What should I do during a flood warning?

Follow official advice: move valuables and vehicles to safety, never walk or drive through flood water, turn off gas and electricity if safe, and check on vulnerable neighbours. See our flood preparation guide at floodradar.co.uk/flood-help.

Has Axminster flooded before?

Yes — the Environment Agency's Recorded Flood Outlines dataset shows 18 recorded flood extents around the town centre since 1703, most recently in 2008. That is a count of mapped extents, not of separate floods. Records, not floods: no outline on the record is not evidence a place has not flooded. See the flood history link below.

🏠 Buying or renting around here? Get the Property Flood-Risk Report for any English postcode — official risk band, recorded floods, warning history, river behaviour and nearby storm overflows. £19 one-off. Learn more →