Axmouth Harbour.

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Map of the Harbour.

Use the arrow keys to move the map and the plus or minus keys to zoom in or out. Click on the Google Logo for a large version Map of Axmouth Harbour and Seaton. The larger version will open in a new window.

Visitors can walk on both sides of the harbour; on the western bank is the yacht club with its clubhouse, floating jetties and slipways. Yachts and many other types of small boats are stored on land here particularly during the winter months.

To cross the river, walkers can still use the old toll bridge which was built in 1877. This three arch bridge was one of the first to be built in concrete and is the oldest surviving example of its type. The toll house, also built of concrete is on the eastern side of the bridge.

The path runs alongside the harbour quay to the river mouth, on the quay is Seaton Tackle Shop which sells fishing tackle and bait, it also has a terrace café which serves drinks and snacks.

More Attractions

• Picturesque Beer
• Branscombe
• Axmouth Harbour
• The Jurassic Coast
• Beer Quarry Caves
• Pecorama
• Seaton Tramways
• Seaton’s 2009 Carnival
• The Seaton Labyrinth
• The Colyford Goose Fayre
• Bluebell Time

Axmouth Harbour.

From the Iron Age to the Middle Ages, Axmouth Harbour was the most important harbour in the West of England.

The natural harbour of the River Axe estuary was at that time a much wider and deeper inlet, the mouth of the Axe being nearly half a mile wide and was one of the most important trading harbours in the South West

Seaton and Axmouth were important ports in the South West for trade and shipbuilding throughout the Middle Ages up until the 14th century when heavy storms caused a land slip at Haven Cliff to fall and partially block the estuary.

Silt bought down by the river, unable to be carried out to sea as before was deposited in the estuary forming a salt marsh behind the shingle bank.

Before the build up of the shingle bank, shipping moored at Axmouth village, a mile inland and ship anchors have been found as far inland as Axminster.

There were several attempts made to cut through the shingle bank and restore the deep water navigation to the harbour, but the tides soon swept the shingle back defeating all attempts.

The building of a toll bridge over the river in 1877, 400m from the river mouth to replace the ferry finally stopped any future plans of developing the harbour facilities to enable taller shipping to continue further up river.

Axmouth harbour today is a small, drying harbour dependent upon the tides so that boats can only enter or leave at high tide and is used mainly for recreation and by local fishing boats.