River Avon, Hampshire
51°20′56″N1°56′53″W/ 51.349°N 1.948°W
River Avon | |
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![]() The River Avon in Salisbury | |
![]() The River Avon watershed (Interactive map) | |
Etymology | BrittonicCeltic meaning river |
Location | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Country within the UK | England |
Counties | Wiltshire,Hampshire,Dorset |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Vale ofPewsey,Wiltshire |
• coordinates | 51°20′56″N1°56′53″W/ 51.349°N 1.948°W |
• elevation | 124 metres (407 ft) |
Mouth | English Channel |
• location | Christchurch,Dorset |
• coordinates | 51°20′56″N1°56′53″W/ 51.349°N 1.948°W |
• elevation | 0 metres (0 ft) |
Length | 96 km (60 mi) |
Basin features | |
Tributaries | |
• left | Bourne,Linford Brook,Nine Mile River |
• right | Nadder,Ebble,Turmer Brook,Sweatfords Water[1] |
Designation | |
Official name | Avon Valley |
Designated | 2 February 1998 |
Reference no. | 926[2] |
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TheRiver Avon(/ˈeɪvən/) is in the south of England, rising inWiltshire,flowing through that county's city ofSalisburyand then westHampshire,before reaching theEnglish ChannelthroughChristchurch Harbourin theBournemouth, Christchurch and Pooleconurbation ofDorset.
It is sometimes known as theSalisbury Avonor theHampshire Avonto distinguish it from namesakes across Great Britain. It is one of the rivers inBritainin which the phenomenon ofanchor icehas been observed.[3]The Avon is thought to contain more species of fish than any other river in Britain.[4]Long-farmed pastures and planted, arable fields line much of the valley; an indication of the wealth these brought to landowners is in ten largelisted houseswith statutorily recognised and protected parks. Many prehistoric sites and broader "landscapes" are found on either side of the river, the largest being the World Heritage Site zone ofStonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites,followed by theOld Sarumknoll fortification and the Thornham Down prehistoric and medieval landscape.
Etymology
[edit]The river's name is atautology:Avonis theProto-Brythonicword meaning "river".
Course
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/River_Avon_near_Fordingbridge.jpg/220px-River_Avon_near_Fordingbridge.jpg)
The Avon begins as two separate bodies of water. The western armrisesto the east ofDevizes,draining theVale of Pewsey,and is joined by Etchilhampton Water which rises in theBishops Canningsarea and flows south pastEtchilhamptonand throughPatney.[5]The eastern arm rises atEaston Royal,east ofPewsey,and is joined by the Woodborough Stream which rises atAlton Priorsand flows south throughWoodboroughandNorth Newnton.[6]
The two branches merge atUpavon,[5]flowing southwards acrossSalisbury PlainthroughDurrington,AmesburyandSalisbury.To the south of Salisbury the river enters theHampshire Basin,flowing along the western edge of theNew ForestthroughFordingbridgeandRingwood,meeting up with theRiver StouratChristchurch,to flow intoChristchurch Harbour.The harbour opens into theEnglish Channelpast a cluster of small mouths of brooks from the New Forest and a broad sandbank, which is all built up as theMudefordpart of the harbour.
All the significant direct and indirect tributaries of the Avon, including theNadder,Wylye,BourneandEbble,converge within a short distance around Salisbury.
A short distance north from the river's western source isMorgan's Hill,which marks the hydrologicaltriple divideof Great Britain, where rainfall drains into the English Channel (via this River Avon), theAtlantic Ocean(via theBristol AvonandSevern Estuary) and theNorth Sea(via theKennetandThames).
About half of the river is in Wiltshire; the rest is split between Hampshire and (since the1974 boundary changes) Dorset.
As two Avons drain parts of Wiltshire, the river is popularly known as the Hampshire Avon or the Salisbury Avon (and the other as theBristol Avon).
17th-century navigation
[edit]River Avon Navigation (Christchurch to New Sarum) Act 1664 | |
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Act of Parliament | |
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Long title | An Act for making the River Avon navigable from Christ Church to the City of New Sarum. |
Citation | 16 & 17 Cha. 2.c. 12 |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 2 March 1665 |
Other legislation | |
Amended by | Itchin Navigation Rates Act 1820 |
Text of statute as originally enacted |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Britford_-_Water_Meadows.jpg/220px-Britford_-_Water_Meadows.jpg)
Construction of anavigationfrom Salisbury toChristchurchwas authorised by the River Avon Navigation (Christchurch to New Sarum) Act 1664 (16 & 17 Cha. 2.c. 12). Work began in 1675 and the route was completed in 1684, but it fell out of use around 1715.[7]Canalised channels were dug to straighten sections of the river, including one throughBritfordparish just below Salisbury; a lock survives on this section nearLongford Castle,having been rebuilt in brick as apound locksoon after the originalflash lockwas damaged by flooding in the early 18th century.[8]
Path
[edit]TheAvon Valley Pathfollows the river between Salisbury and Christchurch.
Rights of way
[edit]Canoeistsseeking lawful passage as high as Salisbury have attempted to invoke the 1644 Navigation Act in their favour.[9]However, the Act was subject to enabling works, most of which were never completed, hence the right is disputed. Responsibility for delivery was given to private undertakers in the names of Hodges, Bennett and Dennett, who were to fund the canalisation between the places. They were allowed to charge their investment at 10% interest rate and could take full commercial advantage, which tripartite agreements from 1684 and 1685 evidence. TheHouse of Commons Journalof 31 January 1699 records that the freeholders, inhabitants and residents of Ibsley and Fordingbridge petitioned the House on the fact that they could not comply with the 1664 Act and were never likely to do so. The House sided with them and effectively declared its view of the law, the finality of which, lackingroyal assent,thelaw of rights of wayis unclear on but makes more likely the view that the Act becamevoidableas the works to canalise the Avon were never implemented. Indecisive court cases were brought in 1737 and 1772 to enforce the alleged but not exercised right (to benefit barge owners).[10][11]
Landowner's houses with parkland
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Longford_Castle.jpg/220px-Longford_Castle.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Hale_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1524371.jpg/220px-Hale_House_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1524371.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/BreamoreHouse.jpg/220px-BreamoreHouse.jpg)
The valley from north to south has the following houses with large parks and gardens, significantly funded in their original form by the rich, mixed agriculture from the little-wooded upper valley plains and sides:
- Conock Manor,Chirton[12]
- Amesbury Abbey[13]
- Lake House,Wilsford[14]
- Heale House,Middle Woodford[15]
- Wilton House(including orangery, loggietta, whispering seat, classical bridges, follies, columns, Holbein porch,James Wyattarchitecture)[16]
- Longford Castle(including two listed bridges over the river, parterre, statues of fame and Diana)[17]
- Trafalgar Park,Downton (including chapel)[18]
- Hale Park(includes lodge, barns and granaries)[19]
- Breamore House(includes tower, and museum cottage)[20]
- Somerley(includes salmon huts, farmhouses and extensive water meadows)[21]
- Avon Tyrrell House,Sopley (includes lodge and gazebo)[22]
Scheduled monument landscapes
[edit]The largest of this type is England's mainWorld Heritage Siteof this category, which includesStonehenge.[23]
Others include massive earthworks atOld Sarum,[24]and across the larger, separate Thornham Down area.[25]
Settlements
[edit]Wiltshire
[edit]Upper Avon Valley
- Upavon
- East and West Chisenbury
- Enford
- Coombe
- Fittleton
- Haxton
- Netheravon
- Figheldean
- Milston
- Durrington
- Bulford
- Amesbury
Woodford Valley
Salisbury
Wiltshire watermeadows
Hampshire
[edit]Dorset
[edit]Designations
[edit]In 1993 the Avon valley in Hampshire betweenBickton(downstream ofFordingbridge) andChristchurchwas designated as aSite of Special Scientific Interest(SSSI).[26]
In 1996 almost the entire river, fromPatney(Wiltshire) to Christchurch, together with its tributaries theWylye,Nadder,Bourneand Dockens Water, was designated as theRiver Avon SystemSSSI.[27]
Conservation initiatives in the 2000s
[edit]A four-year project called STREAM began in September 2005. This £1 million project was designed to benefit the habitats of species such aswater-crowfoot,Atlantic salmon,brook lamprey,sea lamprey,bullhead,Desmoulin's whorl snail,gadwallandCygnus columbianus(Berwick's swan).[28]A sister project called Living River ran from 2006 to 2010, aiming to providing better access and recreation, as well as aid biodiversity.[29]Both these projects were shortlisted for the 2009Thiess International Riverprize,competing against four other projects: theYellow Riverin China,Lake Simcoein Canada, thePolochicBasin in Guatemala and the LowerOwens Riverin the USA. The prize for 2009 was awarded to Lake Simcoe.[30]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"OpenStreetMap".
- ^"Avon Valley".RamsarSites Information Service.Retrieved25 April2018.
- ^Hoodless, W.A. (2010).Christchurch Curiosities.The History Press Ltd. p. 29.ISBN978-0-7524-5670-6.
- ^Wright, John (2003).Discover Dorset, Rivers and Streams.Wimborne, Dorset.: Dovecote Press. p.41.ISBN1-904349-10-2.
- ^ab"Hampshire Avon (West)".Catchment Data Explorer.Environment Agency.Retrieved12 April2021.
- ^"Hampshire Avon (East) and Woodborough Stream".Catchment Data Explorer.Environment Agency.Retrieved12 April2021.
- ^Historic England."Avon River Navigation (1031488)".Research records (formerly PastScape).Retrieved15 February2022.
- ^Historic England."Britford Lock (1011344)".Research records (formerly PastScape).Retrieved15 February2022.
- ^"1664 Law Could Prove Right To Row".BBC News.23 February 2007.
- ^Cross, Donald Alfred Edgar (1970). "The Salisbury Avon Navigation".Industrial Archaeology.VII(2). David & Charles: 121–135.
- ^The National Archives."Material for the History of Wiltshire Canals: Salisbury Avon Navigation".Your Archives.The National Archives.Retrieved17 June2010.
- ^Historic England."Conock Manor (1001229)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Amesbury Abbey (1000469)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Lake House (1001237)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Heale House (1001235)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Wilton House (1000440)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Longford Castle (1000424)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Trafalgar House (1001244)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Hale Park (1000298)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Breamore (1000329)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Somerley House (1350879)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved31 October2022.
- ^Historic England."Avon Tyrrell (1001583)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved11 March2021.
- ^Historic England."Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (1000097)".National Heritage List for England.
- ^Historic England."Old Sarum (1015675)".National Heritage List for England.
- ^Historic England."Thornham Down prehistoric and medieval landscapes (1010219)".National Heritage List for England.
- ^"Designated SSSI Avon Valley Bickton to Christchurch".Natural England. 2017.
- ^"SSSI detail: River Avon System".Natural England.Retrieved21 April2020.
- ^Stream project website
- ^Living River Project Website
- ^2009 International Theiss Riverprize
External links
[edit]Media related toRiver Avon, Hampshireat Wikimedia Commons