River Avon, Hampshire

This article is about the river flowing through Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset. For the small river in the New Forest, seeAvon Water.For other rivers called Avon, seeRiver Avon.

River Avon
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	51.349°N 1.948°W/51.349; -1.948
• elevation	124 metres (407 ft)
Mouth	English Channel
• location	Christchurch,Dorset
• coordinates	51.349°N 1.948°W/51.349; -1.948
• 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
Designation
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Avon Valley
Designated	2 February 1998
Reference no.	926

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.The Avon is thought to contain more species of fish than any other river in Britain.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

The river's name is atautology:Avonis theProto-Brythonicword meaning "river".

Course

The start of the lower half, near Fordingbridge

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.The eastern arm rises atEaston Royal,east ofPewsey,and is joined by the Woodborough Stream which rises atAlton Priorsand flows south throughWoodboroughandNorth Newnton.

The two branches merge atUpavon,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

River Avon Navigation (Christchurch to New Sarum) Act 1664
Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
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

The 17th-century navigation channel near Britford is still in water

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.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.

Path

TheAvon Valley Pathfollows the river between Salisbury and Christchurch.

Rights of way

Canoeistsseeking lawful passage as high as Salisbury have attempted to invoke the 1644 Navigation Act in their favour.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).

Landowner's houses with parkland

Longford Castleoverlooks the river

Hale Park

Breamore House

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
• Amesbury Abbey
• Lake House,Wilsford
• Heale House,Middle Woodford
• Wilton House(including orangery, loggietta, whispering seat, classical bridges, follies, columns, Holbein porch,James Wyattarchitecture)
• Longford Castle(including two listed bridges over the river, parterre, statues of fame and Diana)
• Trafalgar Park,Downton (including chapel)
• Hale Park(includes lodge, barns and granaries)
• Breamore House(includes tower, and museum cottage)
• Somerley(includes salmon huts, farmhouses and extensive water meadows)
• Avon Tyrrell House,Sopley (includes lodge and gazebo)

Scheduled monument landscapes

Further information:Scheduled monument

The largest of this type is England's mainWorld Heritage Siteof this category, which includesStonehenge.

Others include massive earthworks atOld Sarum,and across the larger, separate Thornham Down area.

Settlements

Wiltshire

Upper Avon Valley

• Upavon
• East and West Chisenbury
• Enford
• Coombe
• Fittleton
• Haxton
• Netheravon
• Figheldean
• Milston
• Durrington
• Bulford
• Amesbury

Woodford Valley

• West Amesbury
• Wilsford cum Lake
• Great Durnford
• The Woodfords
• Little Durnford

Salisbury

• Stratford-sub-Castle
• Salisbury

Wiltshire watermeadows

• Britford
• Bodenham
• Charlton All Saints
• Downton

Hampshire

• Breamore
• Burgate
• Fordingbridge
• Bickton
• Ibsley
• Ringwood
• Sopley

Dorset

• St Ives
• Burton
• Fairmile
• Christchurch

Designations

In 1993 the Avon valley in Hampshire betweenBickton(downstream ofFordingbridge) andChristchurchwas designated as aSite of Special Scientific Interest(SSSI).

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.

Conservation initiatives in the 2000s

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).A sister project called Living River ran from 2006 to 2010, aiming to providing better access and recreation, as well as aid biodiversity.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.

See also

• OtherRivers Avon
• Rivers of the United Kingdom

External links

Media related toRiver Avon, Hampshireat Wikimedia Commons