Axholme

Axholme is a historic region in north Lincolnshire, England, centered on the Isle of Axholme. It lies between the River Trent to the west and the River Don to the east, and is characterized by flat, low-lying farmland drained by a network of ditches, watercourses and embankments.

The area was largely marshland before drainage. In the 17th century, Dutch engineer Cornelius Vermuyden oversaw a major drainage project that converted much of the marsh into arable land, shaping the agricultural landscape that remains today.

Communities within Axholme include Epworth, Crowle, Haxey and Owston Ferry, along with numerous villages and parishes. The region has a rural economy focused on agriculture and local services, with tourism and nature-based activities linked to its waterways and countryside.

Today, Axholme is part of North Lincolnshire, a unitary authority in northern England. The area retains a distinct local identity as the Isle of Axholme, with a landscape defined by drainage works, historic churches and market towns.

The name and sense of place reflect its medieval and early modern development as a drained fenland. Its heritage is tied to the broader history of Lincolnshire’s marshlands and the engineering projects that transformed them.