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Axminster TownPhoto: Sealman · Public domain
DHazard risk Grade
Flood & hazards in Axminster · Environment Agency

More of Axminster’s homes are at high or medium flood risk than in 93% of UK towns: 6.7%, from rivers or the sea

On the Environment Agency’s maps, which allow for flood defences, “high or medium” means at least a 1 in 100 chance of flooding from rivers or the sea in any year. Hazard risk puts Axminster at D: #36 of 47 in Devon.

1968worst recorded flood79flood warnings since 2006100%in a radon Affected Area
In brief

What stands out about Axminster’s hazards

From the Environment Agency’s maps and records and the BGS radon atlas, below.

A river town6.7% of homes are at high or medium risk from rivers or the sea, more than 93% of UK towns.Remembers 1968Floodwater covered 5 hectares of today’s Axminster in 1968; 69 of today’s households live inside past flood outlines.The River Axe ran its 4th-highest in January 20263.27 m at Weycroft Bridge on 27 January 2026, 32 cm under the record set in 2012.79 flood warnings since 2006For the parts of Axminster the Environment Agency warns directly; the most recent on 27 January 2026.
By hazard

What Axminster faces

Each hazard against its own yardstick; meters run from low to high on that yardstick.

Rivers and the sea

6.7%of homes at high or medium risk
More than the typical UK town · more than 93% of towns
200 homes by the EA’s own count

Surface water

5.3%of homes at high or medium risk
More than 71% of UK towns
Rivers and sea: 6.7%

Past floods

5years with a recorded flood
Last recorded: July 2012
69 households inside past outlines

The River Axe

3.27 mhighest in winter 2025–26 at Weycroft Bridge
4th-highest of 27 winters
Record 3.59 m, July 2012

Flood warnings

79flood warnings since 2006
257 flood alerts for the wider area
Last warning 27 January 2026

Radon

100%of the town in a radon Affected Area
Highest band here: 10–30% of homes
26% in squares of 5% or more
Not on this page: coastal erosion, subsidence and shrink-swell ground (the British Geological Survey licenses it), groundwater flooding and reservoir failure.
Hazard risk Grade

Axminster grades D for hazard risk

Flood risk from rivers and the sea, against all UK towns.

Homes at high or medium flood risk (6.7%)Fewer than 7% of UK towns

The share of homes at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea, ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more: fewer homes at risk is better. Towns with none at high or medium risk are ordered by their share at low risk, so they don’t all share one score. Surface water and radon aren’t graded: they are described below.

Flood map

Where the water goes in Axminster

Turn layers on and off. Blue is the risk from rivers and the sea; pink is where heavy rain collects. Both allow for flood defences.

Recorded flood: 1968Recorded flood: 1979Recorded flood: 1992Recorded flood: 2008Recorded flood: 2012© OpenStreetMap contributors · EA NaFRA2
HighMediumLowrivers & seaHighMediumLowsurface waterAxminster’s built-up area

The river and sea risk follows the River Coly, the River Yarty and the Umborne Brook. Surface-water risk is patchier: dips, underpasses and small streams.

Rivers and the sea

6.7% of Axminster’s homes are at high or medium risk from rivers or the sea

The Environment Agency’s national map, allowing for defences. A further 0.6% are at low risk.

High risk5.6%of homes · 1 in 30 a year or more167 homes, EA count
Medium risk1.1%of homes · 1 in 30 to 1 in 10033 homes, EA count
Low risk0.6%of homes · 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,00017 homes, EA count
Where Axminster sits among 3,735 UK towns
35%None
23%Under 0.5%
9%0.5–1%
11%1–2%
11%2–5%
5%5–10%Axminster
3%10–20%
2%20% +

Share of each UK town’s homes at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea. 35% of UK towns have none; Axminster has more than 93% of towns.

Towns its size: 659th of 709 from the fewest homes at risk
#TownPeopleHigh or med.
1Banstead Surrey8,9290%
2Warlingham Surrey8,9180%
3Whitnash Warwickshire8,9140%
…
657Kelvedon and Feering Essex4,7716.6%
658Fortuneswell Dorset4,5546.7%
659Axminster Devon6,0946.7%
660Allerton Bywater West Yorkshire6,9586.8%
661Cheddar Somerset5,8417%
…
708Howden East Riding of Yorkshire4,57262%
709Stainforth South Yorkshire5,99963%

UK towns of 4,000 to 9,000 people.

The Environment Agency’s Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea (NaFRA2, June 2026) counts each postcode’s homes by band; the shares weight those postcodes by Census 2021 households. The EA counts include homes built since 2021.

Surface water

5.3% of Axminster’s homes are at high or medium risk from surface water

Surface water is rain that falls faster than drains and the ground can take it. It is mapped separately from rivers and the sea, and it is not in the Hazard risk Grade.

Surface water5.3%
Rivers and the sea6.7%
0%7%14% of homes

About 2.9% of homes are at high risk of surface-water flooding (a 1 in 30 chance or more each year) and 2.4% at medium risk: roughly 150 households. A further 5% face a low risk from surface water. That is more than 71% of UK towns.

~150
households at high or medium risk
5%
of homes at low risk
71%
of UK towns have a smaller share
3,987
addresses read on the map

Our estimate: every address in the town (ONS NSUL) read on the Environment Agency’s Risk of Flooding from Surface Water map (NaFRA2, 2025), each postcode’s share weighted by its Census 2021 households. Neither agency publishes a count of homes for surface water, so treat it as a guide; one street can differ from the next.

Flood history

Axminster has flooded in 5 recorded years since 1968, most of all in 1968

Every flood the Environment Agency has mapped inside Axminster’s built-up area, newest first. The record is fullest for big river floods; small and surface-water floods are often missing.

  1. 2012July 2012: River flooding recorded3 hectares inside today’s built-up area · Axminster Flood
  2. 2008October 2008: River flooding recordedUnder 1 hectare inside today’s built-up area
  3. 1992December 1992: River flooding recorded1 hectare inside today’s built-up area · North Axminster, Castle Hill Farm, Axminster
  4. 1979May 1979: River flooding recordedUnder 1 hectare inside today’s built-up area
  5. 1968January and July 1968: River flooding recorded5 hectares inside today’s built-up area
The worst: 19685 ha

Floodwater covered 5 hectares of what is now Axminster in 1968, the largest flood the record holds here (January and July).

69 of Axminster’s households today live inside the outline of a recorded flood.

Since 1968, the largest recorded flood inside the town covered 3 hectares.

River levels

The River Axe in January 2026 rose to its 4th-highest level since 1995

The highest level each winter (October to September) at the Environment Agency’s Weycroft Bridge gauge, since 1995. The river normally runs between 0.37 m and 1.60 m here.

Highest level each winter, metres
Winter 1996–97: highest 2.31 m · 3 days above the normal rangeWinter 1997–98: highest 2.58 m · 11 days above the normal rangeWinter 1998–99: highest 2.27 m · 12 days above the normal rangeWinter 1999–00: highest 2.47 m · 8 days above the normal rangeWinter 2000–01: highest 2.95 m on 5 November 2000 · 23 days above the normal rangeWinter 2001–02: highest 2.35 m · 7 days above the normal rangeWinter 2002–03: highest 2.55 m · 16 days above the normal rangeWinter 2003–04: highest 2.49 m · 7 days above the normal rangeWinter 2005–06: highest 2.48 m · 11 days above the normal rangeWinter 2008–09: highest 2.86 m · 14 days above the normal rangeWinter 2009–10: highest 2.53 m · 12 days above the normal rangeWinter 2010–11: highest 2.32 m · 6 days above the normal rangeWinter 2011–12: highest 3.59 m on 7 July 2012 · 15 days above the normal rangeWinter 2012–13: highest 3.29 m on 25 November 2012 · 22 days above the normal rangeWinter 2013–14: highest 2.84 m · 27 days above the normal rangeWinter 2014–15: highest 2.14 m · 6 days above the normal rangeWinter 2015–16: highest 3.06 m on 6 February 2016 · 21 days above the normal rangeWinter 2016–17: highest 2.79 m · 6 days above the normal rangeWinter 2017–18: highest 2.27 m · 13 days above the normal rangeWinter 2018–19: highest 2.30 m · 8 days above the normal rangeWinter 2019–20: highest 2.29 m · 15 days above the normal rangeWinter 2020–21: highest 2.71 m · 17 days above the normal rangeWinter 2021–22: highest 3.08 m on 21 October 2021 · 7 days above the normal rangeWinter 2022–23: highest 2.47 m · 16 days above the normal rangeWinter 2023–24: highest 3.58 m on 7 December 2023 · 29 days above the normal rangeWinter 2024–25: highest 2.68 m · 13 days above the normal rangeWinter 2025–26: highest 3.27 m on 27 January 2026 · 14 days above the normal range’11–12’23–24’12–13Record 3.59 m, 2012Top of normal range
1996–972025–26
The highest days on record
  • 7 July 20123.59 m
  • 7 December 20233.58 m
  • 25 November 20123.29 m
  • 27 January 20263.27 m
  • 30 September 20243.18 m
  • 21 October 20213.08 m

The River Axe has topped its normal range on 359 days since 1995, most in the winters of 2023–24 and 2013–14. By its highest day, the winter of 2025–26 was the 4th-highest of the 27.

Environment Agency Hydrology API, Weycroft Bridge (station 45220), daily maximum level; the record and normal range from the EA’s stage scale. Live river levels are on GOV.UK’s Check for flooding.

Flood warnings

No flood warning or alert is in force for Axminster · 79 warnings in 20 years

The Environment Agency has 2 flood warning areas and 1 alert area reaching into the town; warnings since the service began in 2006.

Now: no flood warnings or alerts for Axminster (checked 2 November 2026, 13:31). Check for flooding on GOV.UK →
Warnings and alerts each year for areas in Axminster
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Flood warning (flooding expected)Flood alert (flooding possible)

Of the 79 warnings, 65 were for River Axe (Upper) from Winsham to Axminster, including Chard Junction and Weycroft and 14 for River Axe (Mid) at Axminster. 2012 had the most warnings (13); 2024 the most alerts (24).

The most recent warning was on 27 January 2026.

Show the 3 warning and alert areas
AreaKindSince 2006Now
River Axe (Upper) from Winsham to Axminster, including Chard Junction and WeycroftWarning area65None
River Axe (Mid) at AxminsterWarning area14None
River Axe areaAlert area257None

Environment Agency Historic Flood Warnings (first issues only, not updates; “flood watch” counted as an alert before 2011) and the real-time flood-monitoring API. Sign up for free warnings on GOV.UK or call Floodline, 0345 988 1188.

Radon

Parts of Axminster are in radon Affected Areas, up to the 10–30% band

Radon is a natural radioactive gas from the ground; long exposure raises the risk of lung cancer. The atlas gives the chance that a home in each 1 km square is above the UK action level (200 Bq/m³).

SY2897: 1–3% of homes above the action levelSY2997: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSY2998: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSY2999: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSY3097: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSY3098: 3–5% of homes above the action levelSY3099: 5–10% of homes above the action levelSY3199: 10–30% of homes above the action level© OpenStreetMap contributors · BGS/UKHSA
1–3%3–5%5–10%10–30%
Share of the town’s area in each band
1–3% of homes0%
3–5% of homes74%
5–10% of homes25%
10–30% of homes1%

100% of Axminster’s built-up area is in a radon Affected Area (1% of homes or more above the action level), and 26% in squares of 5% or more, mostly on the north-east side of the town.

The squares are indicative: each takes the highest band found anywhere inside it, so most homes in a coloured square are below it. Only a three-month test in the home gives a real answer.

BGS/UKHSA Indicative Atlas of Radon in Great Britain, version 3. Check an address at UKradon.org.

Neighbours

Flood risk in the places around Axminster

Share of homes at high or medium and at low risk from rivers and the sea. Tap a town for its page.

Uplyme: Hazard risk C−Lyme Regis: Hazard risk C−Tatworth: Hazard risk C−Colyton: Hazard risk B+Charmouth: Hazard risk B−Seaton: Hazard risk DChard: Hazard risk BUplymeLyme RegisTatworthColytonCharmouthSeatonChardAxminster
ABCD
TownPeopleHigh or mediumLowHazard
Axminster6,0946.7%0.6%D
Uplyme1,0532.9%0.4%C−
Lyme Regis3,7411.6%1.5%C−
Tatworth2,2871.9%0.8%C−
Colyton1,9380%0.3%B+
Charmouth1,3370.2%0.3%B−
Seaton7,4295.3%5.9%D
Chard14,287under 0.1%0%B

Axminster has more homes at high or medium risk than any neighbour in the table. Colyton has none.

Be ready

Get ready for what Axminster faces

Free warnings, what to do in a cloudburst, and what to check before you move.

Get the warnings
  • Sign up free for Environment Agency flood warnings by text, call or email.
  • Floodline: 0345 988 1188, 24 hours.
  • Axminster’s warning areas include River Axe (Mid) at Axminster and River Axe (Upper) from Winsham to Axminster, including Chard Junction and Weycroft.
Sign up ↗
In a cloudburst
  • Surface water rises in minutes, often with no warning issued: stay out of underpasses and dips.
  • Keep the gullies and drains outside your home clear of leaves.
  • Report a blocked road drain to the council.
Radon
  • Test over three months, in a living room and a bedroom.
  • Above 200 Bq/m³, a small sump and fan usually fixes it.
  • New homes in radon areas are built with protection: basic from 3%, full from 10%.
UKradon ↗
Before you buy or rent in Axminster
  • Check the address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service: it gives rivers and sea and surface water separately.
  • Ask whether the home has flooded or had a flood insurance claim; the TA6 property form asks the seller.
  • Homes built before 2009 can get flood cover through Flood Re, the government-backed scheme; newer homes can’t.
  • Check radon for the address on UKradon.org (a small fee) or ask the seller for a test result.
How to read these numbers

What this data can and can’t tell you

  • Defences are counted. Both agencies’ maps allow for flood defences and the chance they are overtopped or fail, so a town behind a defence scheme can show few homes at high risk and many at low risk.
  • Surface water is our estimate. Neither agency publishes a count of homes at risk from surface water, so we read each address on the map. A flat on a hill and a basement in a dip can share a postcode.
  • Past floods are what was recorded. The flood outlines come from surveys, aerial photographs and reports; many small floods, and most surface-water floods, were never mapped.
  • One town, many streets. Risk is street by street. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service before you buy or rent.

Check the long-term flood risk for an address on GOV.UK →

Questions about flooding and hazards in Axminster

Does Axminster flood?

The last flood the Environment Agency recorded inside the town was in July 2012. 6.7% of homes are at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea on the Environment Agency’s maps, which allow for flood defences. About 5.3% of homes are at high or medium risk from surface water, when heavy rain overwhelms the drains. Axminster grades D for hazard risk against UK towns.

Which parts of Axminster are at risk of flooding?

From rivers and the sea, the places the Environment Agency warns directly: River Axe (Upper) from Winsham to Axminster, including Chard Junction and Weycroft and River Axe (Mid) at Axminster. Surface water can collect in low spots anywhere in the town. Check a specific address on GOV.UK’s long-term flood risk service.

When did Axminster last flood?

The recorded flood outlines inside the town run from 1968 to 2012 (5 years); the largest was in 1968. Flood warnings have been issued for parts of the town since 2006, most recently on 27 January 2026.

Is Axminster at risk of surface water flooding?

About 2.9% of homes are at high risk and 2.4% at medium risk from surface water, against 6.7% at high or medium risk from rivers and the sea. Surface water floods come with little warning, and the agencies don’t issue warnings for them.

Is radon a problem in Axminster?

100% of the town’s built-up area is in a radon Affected Area on the BGS/UKHSA atlas, and 26% is in 1 km squares where 5% or more of homes may be above the action level. Most homes are below it; a three-month test is the only way to know.

Are there flood warnings in Axminster now?

No flood warning or alert was in force near Axminster at 2 November 2026, 13:31. Live warnings are on GOV.UK’s Check for flooding service and Floodline, 0345 988 1188.

Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and/or database right 2026. Contains British Geological Survey materials © UKRI 2026.

Sources: Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea, postcodes in areas at risk (June 2026); Natural Resources Wales Flood Risk Assessment Wales (May 2026); ONS Census 2021 households by postcode · Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (NaFRA2, 2025) and Natural Resources Wales Flood Risk Assessment Wales surface water and small watercourses, read at every address (ONS National Statistics UPRN Lookup, September 2026) and weighted by Census 2021 households by postcode · Environment Agency Recorded Flood Outlines and Natural Resources Wales historic flood map, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Environment Agency Hydrology API (daily maximum river level) and flood-monitoring stage scales · Environment Agency real-time flood-monitoring API · Environment Agency Historic Flood Warnings (January 2006 to June 2026) and flood warning and alert areas · BGS/UKHSA Indicative Atlas of Radon in Great Britain, version 3, by 1 km square · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.