River Avon, Bristol: Difference between revisions
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The '''River Avon''' is a [[river]] in the traditional [[county|counties]] of [[Gloucestershire]], [[Wiltshire]], [[Somerset]] and the City and County of [[Bristol]] in the south west of [[England]]. It is also known as the '''Lower Avon''' or '''Bristol Avon'''. It [[source (river)|rises]] near [[Chipping Sodbury]] in [[Gloucestershire]], runs east and then south through [[Wiltshire]], then turns north-west through [[Bradford-on-Avon]], [[Bath]] and [[Bristol]] and joins the [[Severn]] [[estuary]] at [[Avonmouth]] near [[Bristol]]. |
The '''River Avon''' is a [[river]] in the traditional [[county|counties]] of [[Gloucestershire]], [[Wiltshire]], [[Somerset]] and the City and County of [[Bristol]] in the south west of [[England]]. It is also known as the '''Lower Avon''' or '''Bristol Avon'''. It [[source (river)|rises]] near [[Chipping Sodbury]] in [[Gloucestershire]], runs east and then south through [[Wiltshire]], then turns north-west through [[Bradford-on-Avon]], [[Bath]] and [[Bristol]] and joins the [[Severn]] [[estuary]] at [[Avonmouth]] near [[Bristol]]. |
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In central Bristol where the river is [[tide|tidal]] it is diverted from its original course onto the "New Cut"; the original course is held at a constant level by [[canal lock|lock gates]] ( |
In central Bristol where the river is [[tide|tidal]] it is diverted from its original course onto the "New Cut"; the original course is held at a constant level by [[canal lock|lock gates]] (designed by [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel|Brunel]]) and is known as the "Floating Harbour", the point being that it gave the port an advantage by enabling shipping to stay afloat rather than grounding when the tide went down. Downstream of central Bristol it passes through a deep [[gorge]], which is spanned by Brunel's [[Clifton Suspension Bridge]]. |
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The [[Kennet and Avon Canal]] joins the river Avon in Bath. |
The [[Kennet and Avon Canal]] joins the river Avon in Bath. |
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Revision as of 11:42, 24 March 2004
The River Avon is a river in the traditional counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset and the City and County of Bristol in the south west of England. It is also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon. It rises near Chipping Sodbury in Gloucestershire, runs east and then south through Wiltshire, then turns north-west through Bradford-on-Avon, Bath and Bristol and joins the Severn estuary at Avonmouth near Bristol.
In central Bristol where the river is tidal it is diverted from its original course onto the "New Cut"; the original course is held at a constant level by lock gates (designed by Brunel) and is known as the "Floating Harbour", the point being that it gave the port an advantage by enabling shipping to stay afloat rather than grounding when the tide went down. Downstream of central Bristol it passes through a deep gorge, which is spanned by Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge.
The Kennet and Avon Canal joins the river Avon in Bath.