The Axe and Compasses Public house is a grade listed building, situated in The Street, Braughing. Originally built as a house, the oldest surviving part is the south wing, dating back to the 16th Century. The main building itself was built in the early 17th Century.

The earliest record of its existence as a public house was in 1806, when Sarah Lawrence was named as the victualler (licensee) for the Axe and Compasses. Sarah's husband Randall had died in 1800 and left the property to her, which remained with her until her death in 1824, at the age of 84. In 1815, her daughter Margaret married George Gray Penman in the village church and he became the licensee from thereon.

Following the death of Sarah Lawrence, the ownership was passed to her son in law George Gray Penman, who remained the licensee until his death in 1856, aged 67. His wife, retained ownership until her death in 1869, aged 85, although a tenant named Samuel Clark was the licensee throughout this time.

In 1869, after Margaret's death, it is likely that at this time the freehold was sold to a brewery, named Lucas & Co, in Hitchin. Their first landlord was a 45-year-old local blacksmith called Henry Barron. In 1890, he retired and his son Walter took over. He was also a blacksmith and remained licensee for at least 30 years. Just after 1920, he handed the pub over to his brother Albert who was six years younger and lived next door in the new house to the north of the premises.

Between 1925 and 1933, the premises were sold by Lucas & Co to another brewery called JW Green & Co Ltd. Albert Barron remained living at the pub until he died in 1961, at a ripe old age of 93. By now, the Axe had been in the Barron family for 92 years.

Since then, the public house has had a number of licensees including Charlie Brandram, Edmund Hammond, Thomas Cousins, Alastair Mackay and its present licensee, Sandra Hatcher.