Axbridge is a town in Somerset, England, on the River Axe, near the southern edge of the Mendip Hills.

The history of Axbridge can be traced back to the reign of King Alfred when it was part of the Saxons' defence system for Wessex against the Vikings.

[3] A listing of Axbridge appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Alse Bruge, meaning 'axe bridge' from the Old English isca and brycg.

[12] Ironically a real branch of NatWest, in the High Street, was closed not long afterwards and the premises are now private residential accommodation.

In 2017 several locations in the town were used for a Thatchers Cider television commercial, which featured a hot air balloon.

Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council.

[21] In 2016 volunteers raised £5,000 for repairs to the cinema and plans have been drawn up for further refurbishment and the installation of new sound and projection equipment.

The church is built of limestone and decorated with Doulting stone, while the steps are an interesting example of dolomitic conglomerate, which is known as puddingstone.

The north-aisle ceiling retains some mediaeval painted panels, and amongst the carved bosses is the head of a Green Man, with leaves sprouting around his face.

In contrast to the much larger settlement of Cheddar immediately to the south east that remains a village, Axbridge is a town.

While Axbridge grew in importance as a centre for cloth manufacture in the Tudor period and gained a charter from King John, Cheddar remained a more dispersed dairy-farming village until the advent of tourism and the arrival of the railway in the Victorian era.

The Poor Law Commissioners authorised expenditure of £4,496 17s 6d on construction of the building, which was intended to accommodate 250 inmates.

September sees the annual Blackberry Carnival, Fair in the Square and Harvest Home, which was introduced in 2007.

Since 2009, a Concert by Candlelight has been held in the Church of St John the Baptist to coincide with Earth Hour, when people try to reduce their electricity usage.