  the isle of axholme is a geographical area of north lincolnshire, england. it is the only part of lincolnshire west of the river trent. it is between the three towns of doncaster, scunthorpe and gainsborough, in the traditional west riding of lindsey. ==description== the name isle is given to the area since, prior to the area's being drained by the dutchman cornelius vermuyden, each town or village formerly lay on areas of dry, raised ground in the surrounding marshland. the 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 the county. there are three small towns: epworth â birthplace of john wesley and his brother charles, crowle and haxey. the boundaries of the isle of axholme usually match with those of the ancient wapentake of epworthhttp://domesdaymap.co.uk/hundred/epworth/ domesday online - epworth wapentake and its 17 communities: belton, crowle, epworth, haxey, beltoft, (high and low) burnham, owston ferry, (east) lound and (graise)lound, garthorpe, luddington, amcotts, (west) butterwick, althorpe, the marshes, waterton, upperthorpe, and westwoodside. other settlements on the isle include eastoft, sandtoft â 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 which is a relic from this woodland, locally called "bog oaks". a long-distance walking route, the "peatlands way" traverses the isle. ==etymology== axholme means "island by haxey", from the town name + old norse holmr "island". the name was recorded as hakirhomle in 1196. (the old english suffix "ey" in "haxey" also indicates an island). ==1833 description== {{quotation|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 ow
Former_islands_of_England Geography_of_Lincolnshire