Isle of Axholme

Coordinates: 53°30′N 0°52′W / 53.50°N 0.86°W / 53.50; -0.86
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

All Saint's Church in Belton, Isle of Axholme
The Isle of Axholme, from a map of the Kingdom of Lindsey during the 7th century AD

The Isle of Axholme is a geographical area in England: a part of North Lincolnshire that adjoins South Yorkshire. It is located between the towns of Scunthorpe and Gainsborough, both of which are in the traditional West Riding of Lindsey, and Doncaster (in South Yorkshire).

Description

The name Isle is given to the area since, prior to the area being drained by the Dutchman

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 Lincolnshire. Three towns developed here: Epworth, Crowle and Haxey
.

The boundaries of the Isle of Axholme usually match with those of the ancient

Luddington, Amcotts, (West) Butterwick, Althorpe, The Marshes, Waterton, Upperthorpe, and Westwoodside. Other settlements on the Isle include Eastoft, Sandtoft – home to Europe's largest trolleybus museum – and Wroot
.

Much of the northern part of the Isle has flat topography, with rich farmland used mainly to grow wheat and sugar beet. 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 six feet below ground; relics from this woodland, these are locally called "bog oaks".

A long-distance walking route, the "Peatlands Way", traverses the Isle.[2][3]

Etymology

Axholme means "island by

Old Norse
holmr "island". The name was recorded as Hakirhomle in 1196. The Old English suffix "ey" in "Haxey" also indicates an island.

Historical descriptions

1833 description

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

— Bartholomew's Gazetteer of Britain compiled by Oliver Mason (John Bartholomew, 1833)

1911 description

AXHOLME, an island in the north-west part of Lincolnshire, England, lying between the rivers Trent, Idle and Don, and isolated by drainage channels connected with these rivers. It consists mainly of a plateau of slight elevation, rarely exceeding 100 ft., and comprises the parishes of Althorpe, Belton, Epworth, Haxey, Luddington, Owston and Crowle; the total area being about 47,000 acres.

— "Axholme". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). 1911. p. 68.

Land drainage history

"A true and perfect Plot of Hatfield Chase, in the Counties of York, Lincoln, and Nottingham as surveyed by Josias Acerlebout." from "The history of imbanking and drayning" by William Dugdale (1662).

The Isle is known for the early influence of

Internal Drainage Board which maintains 188 miles (302 km) of watercourse and 18 pumping stations,[5] and manages the water levels of the adjacent Thorne Moors
and Hatfield Moors, both environmentally sensitive areas.

Road and railway

The

A161 road
crosses the Isle from north to south.

Governance

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.

Following boundary changes in 2023, the isle will be part of the new Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme parliamentary constituency.

Notes

  1. ^ "Hundred of Epworth". Domesday Book. opendomesday.org. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Peatlands Way". www.ldwa.org.uk. Long Distance Walkers Association. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  3. ^ "The Peatlands Way". thepeatlandsway.com. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  4. ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Axholme" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 68.
  5. ^ Isle of Axholme Internal Drainage Board website Archived 4 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Isle of Axholme.

53°30′N 0°52′W / 53.50°N 0.86°W / 53.50; -0.86

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