A delightful building, I first took photos of the frontage fifteen years ago in 2004, long before I knew anything about its history. It was only when I decided to do something with them that I made a specific visit in 2012 to take more photos - apart from the times when I went there for coffee - which accounts for the difference in some of them.
Built in 1864 upon the site of the Union Workhouse, the building comprised the first purpose-built police station in Devon, along with cells, a police house at the back and the courtroom on the first floor.
The Courthouse is built onto this much older building, now Archway Bookshop, in a manner to suggest that they were part of the same building. However, even though they're separate now, the shop is well worth a mention.
Circa 13th century, the ground floor was open to allow access for carts and the original arch, now in-filled, can be seen above the window. Another arch can be seen inside the shop. It was converted into a private residence during the 1700s. What is really interesting though, is the doorway, which is thought to be a window from Newenham Abbey. Dismantled during the reign of Henry VIII, stone from the Abbey was used for several buildings in Axminster.
Now onto the entrance to the Courthouse itself.
Below, the archway from the inside of the courtyard, looking towards the street with a view of the church green. On the far left inside the arch is the door to the then museum, the near left houses the Tourist Information Centre and the right part of the building is the Senior Citizens Centre.
Photos of the right side, below...
...and the left side, below.
Just inside the arch to the courthouse complex is this fabulous studded oak door, leading to the upstairs courtroom, which housed Axminster Museum (since moved to the original carpet factory in 2016, and is now the Axminster Heritage Centre). This was used for the County Court and the Court of Petty Sessions.
I only had time for a whistle-stop tour of the museum, but it's fascinating and well worth a further visit. It contains a lot of artefacts, including a wonderful, large scale model of Weycroft Mill. I didn't take a photo of that, but I will when I get around to visiting the new centre.
On the left hand side is an adjacent building which was once the home of the police sergeant and his family. Now the Arts Cafe, it still contains the original police cells. The photo below shows the cell doors with their hatches and the old water cisterns above.
And below, one of the cells with a brick, barrel ceiling, now used for exhibiting art.
The courtyard at the rear is thought to have been the exercise yard. For fans of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels, it may come as no surprise that when I read about it I immediately thought of the Treacle Mine Street station with its exercise yard complete with straw dummy for sword practice...although in this case it may have been used to give the prisoners some exercise in the fresh air. ;)
Now a courtyard garden with outside tables for the Arts Cafe, a section has been designated the 'Weaver's Garden'.
The Weaver's Garden contains plants used for vegetable dyes and soft running water, both of which were important in the dyeing and fulling process used in carpet making. The photos below were taken several years ago, showing a border made from loom reels, sadly no longer there.
Interestingly, when I made a visit to Kilmington Quarry there was a huge pile of reels like this in a heap, many of which had been burnt in a fire. I would love to have taken a couple, as they'd obviously been chucked, but the rule for Urban Exploring is to 'take nothing but photos and leave nothing but footprints', and it would have changed my explore from trespass (only a civil misdemeanour in Britain) to the criminal activity of theft...so I didn't.
Some of the stone brickwork, below. A shame that the pvc windows look so out of place, but the original arches and lintels have been retained.
I have to say, that this has got to be the most difficult building I've ever tried to photograph. Narrow pavements on a busy street, several uses with people coming and going, awning and other modern trappings making it impossible to photograph the Arts Cafe building and courtyard (not to mention that it was crowded with visitors), and awkward, twisty stairs and narrow corridors inside. It was incredibly frustrating. Apart from that it's fab place to visit, and I often enjoy a coffee at the Arts Cafe whenever I'm in Axminster. :)
Another of the earlier photos, showing the building through part of the churchyard...
...and finally, one of my illustrations which I drew from another photo looking through the magnolia tree. Mostly of the wine bar at the end of the street with a bit of the Courthouse to the left.
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