98-656: The River Avon / ˈ eɪ v ən / is a river in the southwest of England. To distinguish it from a number of other rivers of the same name , it is often called the Bristol Avon . The name 'Avon' is loaned from an ancestor of the Welsh word afon , meaning 'river'. The Avon rises just north of the village of Acton Turville in South Gloucestershire , before flowing through Wiltshire into Somerset . In its lower reaches from Bath (where it meets
196-620: A border of the territory ruled by the Belgae . After the Roman occupation the river formed a boundary between the lands of the Hwicce (which became Mercia ) and the kingdom of Wessex . The river Avon had been navigable from Bristol to Bath during the early years of the 13th century but construction of mills on the river forced its closure. The floodplain of the Avon, on which the city centre of Bath
294-465: A broad arc, bent against the open sea, towards the southern end of the present north pier. Much patched and decrepit, the quay was virtually rebuilt, though along the original line, between 1775 and 1785 by the landlord, Daniel Delacherois, probably with the help of John Smeaton , the distinguished civil engineer who had made earlier more elaborate plans for extending the harbour, and who had just rebuilt Portpatrick harbour. The old quay remained until after
392-406: A highest level of 2.43 metres (8 ft 0 in). At Melksham the Avon has a mean flow rate of 6.703 cubic metres per second (236.7 cu ft/s). December 2013 was the highest level recorded at Bradford on Avon when the level reached 3.42 metres (11.2 ft) with a normal range at the monitoring station being 1.01 metres (3 ft 4 in) to 1.40 metres (4 ft 7 in). At Bathford
490-456: A highest recording of 2.31 metres (7 ft 7 in) on 24 December 2013. At Keynsham the typical range is between 0.23 metres (9.1 in) and 2.09 metres (6 ft 10 in). The highest was on 25 December 2013 when it reached 5.36 metres (17.6 ft). At Netham Weir where the new cut carries the flow away from Bristol Harbour the typical range for the depth of the river is 0.15 metres (5.9 in) to 0.84 metres (2 ft 9 in) with
588-749: A new regional body , the Wessex Water Authority. Privatisation saw responsibility for the catchment pass to the National Rivers Authority on its formation on 1 September 1989. In 1996 the authority became part of the Environment Agency . Navigation conservancy in the lower river from Avonmouth to the lock at Hotwells is the responsibility of The Bristol Port Company as both statutory and competent harbour authority. Navigation within Bristol's floating harbour
686-431: A result of climate change suggest that further measures are likely to be needed to protect the population from flooding risk. A tidal surge, combined with high water levels from the flooding of the surrounding area caused flooding in the city of Bristol. Download coordinates as: [REDACTED] Media related to River Avon, South-West England at Wikimedia Commons River Avon (disambiguation) From Misplaced Pages,
784-645: A short stay at Soho he left for London in 1784 to take charge of the works at the Albion Flour Mills, Blackfriars, for which Boulton & Watt were building a steam-engine. The machinery was all designed by Rennie, a distinguishing feature being the use of iron instead of wood for the shafting and framing. About 1791 he started in business as a mechanical engineer on his own account in Holland Street, Blackfriars, whence he and his successors long conducted engineering operations of vast importance. (In
882-579: A similar flow (20.984 cubic metres per second (741.0 cu ft/s)) downstream of the weir. At the Destructor Bridge in Bath the typical height range is 0.40 metres (1 ft 4 in) to 0.81 metres (2 ft 8 in) with a high of 1.64 metres (5 ft 5 in) also in December 2013. At Saltford the range is 0.46 metres (1 ft 6 in) to 1.41 metres (4 ft 8 in) with
980-619: A small jetty, was built and maintained as a result of the Royal Warrant of 1616 which limited travel between the Ards and the Rhins of Galloway to this port, and that at Portpatrick also owned by Montgomery. It was described by Harris in 1744 as 'a curving quay about 400 feet (120m) long and 22 feet (6.7m) wide built of uncemented stones'. It ran from the shore at the north end of the Parade in
1078-517: A taste for mechanics at a very early age, and was allowed to spend much time in the workshop of Andrew Meikle , a millwright and the inventor of the threshing machine, who lived at Houston Mill on the Phantassie estate. After receiving a normal basic education at the parish school of Prestonkirk Parish Church , he was sent to the burgh school at Dunbar , and in November 1780 he matriculated at
SECTION 10
#17327656445641176-485: Is loaned from the Common Brittonic abona , "river", which survives in the Welsh word afon [ˈavɔn] . " River Avon ", therefore, literally means "river river"; several other English and Scottish rivers share the name. The County of Avon that existed from 1974 to 1996 was named after the river, and covered Bristol , Bath , and the lower Avon valley. The Avon rises on the southern edge of
1274-489: Is a Grade I listed structure, and was the first canal structure to be designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1951. The stretch of river below and above the aqueduct, where it is joined by Midford Brook , has been used by rowing crews from Monkton Combe School since at least the beginning of the 1900s. It then flows past Claverton Pumping Station , which pumped water from the River Avon by Warleigh Weir into
1372-607: Is a matching tower in Howth , Ireland, also designed by Rennie, for the other terminal of the Irish packet steamer. Of all Rennie's works, that which appeals most strongly to the imagination is perhaps the breakwater at Plymouth Sound , consisting of a wall a mile in length across the Sound, in about 20 metres (66 ft) of water, and containing 3,670,444 tons of rough stone, besides 22,149 cubic yards (16,934 m ) of masonry on
1470-427: Is built, has an altitude of about 59 ft (18 m) above sea level . The river, once an unnavigable series of braided streams broken up by swamps and ponds, has been managed by weirs into a single channel. Periodic flooding, which shortened the life of many buildings in the lowest part of the city, was normal until major flood control works were completed in the 1970s. The Bristol Avon Navigation, which runs
1568-547: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages John Rennie the Elder John Rennie FRSE FRS (7 June 1761 – 4 October 1821) was a Scottish civil engineer who designed many bridges, canals , docks and warehouses, and a pioneer in the use of structural cast-iron. He was born the younger son of James Rennie, a farmer near Phantassie , near East Linton , East Lothian, Scotland . John showed
1666-491: Is important for its dragonfly communities, with a strong population of scarce chaser (found in only six other areas in England), together with a strong population of white-legged damselfly . red-eyed damselfly is also found. The river is also important for aquatic plants, including Loddon pondweed . The Kellaways – West Tytherton Site of Special Scientific Interest , 3 miles (4.8 km) north east of Chippenham ,
1764-536: Is known as the Avon Navigation. The Avon above Bath remains navigable as far as Bathampton where there is the remains of a flash lock . However, the lock past the weir below Pulteney Bridge was demolished when the weir was reconstructed, so passage between the sections is only possible for dinghies and canoes using the roller slipway on the side of the weir. Beyond its junction with the Kennet and Avon Canal,
1862-596: Is known locally as the Ingleburn, which in Old English means 'English river'. The two rivers flow north and south of a rocky outcrop, almost creating an island for the ancient hilltop town of Malmesbury to sit on. Upstream of this confluence the river is sometimes referred to as the 'River Avon (Sherston branch)' to distinguish it from the Tetbury branch. After the two rivers merge, the Avon turns southeast away from
1960-628: Is made navigable by the use of locks and weirs. In the centre of Bath it passes under various bridges including the Midland Bridge which was originally built by the Midland Railway Company to allow the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway access to and from its Green Park Terminus Station . In November 2011 the navigation between Bath and Bristol was closed because of safety concerns about Victoria Bridge . Weston Lock on
2058-432: Is of considerable importance for studies relating to the possible glaciation of the area, and of the terrace stratigraphy , particularly as it is one of only two accessible terrace deposits in this part of the Avon valley. Newton St Loe SSSI is also listed for geological reasons as it represents the only remaining known exposure of fossiliferous Pleistocene gravels along the River Avon. In conjunction with other sites within
SECTION 20
#17327656445642156-469: Is of geological interest as the river bank exposes Callovian highly-fossiliferous sandstone which contains well-preserved bivalves , gastropods , brachiopods , belemnites and ammonites . Further downstream at Newton St Loe the Newton St Loe SSSI is another Geological Conservation Review SSSI. It represents the only remaining known exposure of fossiliferous Pleistocene gravels along
2254-413: Is on the southern side of the mouth of the river. The deepwater dock was constructed between 1972 and 1977, and is now a major port for the import of motor vehicles . The Royal Portbury Dock has the largest entrance lock into any UK port, accommodating vessels up to 41 m (135 ft) beam, 290 m (951 ft) length and 14.5 m (48 ft) draft. The Avonmouth Docks are on the north side of
2352-504: Is retained by Bristol City Council as statutory and competent harbour authority. The distribution of archaeological finds suggests that the western end of the river between Bath and Avonmouth formed a border between the Dobunni and Durotriges during the late Iron Age , prior to the Roman conquest of Britain . Further east, between Bath and what is now Wiltshire, it may also have formed
2450-599: Is the point at Netham in Bristol at which boats from the Avon gain access to Bristol's floating harbour . Construction started in 1804 to build the tidal New Cut , where it is joined by the River Malago , and divert the Avon along the Feeder Canal to the harbour; a system designed and built by William Jessop and later improved by Isambard Kingdom Brunel . A weir carries the river into the New Cut and boats use
2548-614: The Avon Gorge has been an important transport route, carrying the River Avon, major roads and two railways. The Bristol Channel has a very high tidal range of 15 metres (49 ft), second only to Bay of Fundy in Eastern Canada ; and the gorge is relatively narrow and meandering, making it notoriously difficult to navigate. Several vessels have grounded in the gorge including the SS Demerara soon after her launch in 1851,
2646-772: The Cotswold hills , at Didmarton in Gloucestershire; at Joyce's Pool a plaque marks the source. It flows south-east into Wiltshire to Sherston , where it is joined by the Luckington Brook which drains an area west of Luckington that includes the Badminton House estate. From Sherston the river flows east to Malmesbury , where it is joined by its first major tributary, the Tetbury Avon , which rises just east of Tetbury in Gloucestershire. This
2744-867: The Crinan Canal (1794–1801), Rudyard Lake (1797) and the Rochdale Canal , which passes through difficult country between Rochdale and Todmorden (1799). The Kennet and Avon Canal – including the Dundas Aqueduct , Caen Hill Locks and Crofton Pumping Station – occupied him between 1794 and 1810. In 1802 he revised the plans for the Royal Canal of Ireland from Dublin to the Shannon near Longford . He also served as advisor to Dublin Corporation's Pipe Water Committee, for which he
2842-690: The Kennet and Avon Canal ) to the Severn Estuary at Avonmouth near Bristol , the river is navigable and is known as the Avon Navigation . The Avon is the 19th longest river in the United Kingdom, at 83 miles (134 km), although there are just 19 miles (31 km) as the crow flies between the source and its mouth in the Severn Estuary . The catchment area is 2,220 square kilometres (860 sq mi). The name "Avon"
2940-643: The Kennet and Avon Canal , and at Freshford is joined by the Somerset River Frome . Avoncliff Aqueduct was built by John Rennie and chief engineer John Thomas, between 1797 and 1801. The aqueduct consists of three arches and is 110 yards (100 m) long with a central elliptical arch of 60 ft (18 m) span with two side arches each semicircular and 34 ft (10 m) across, all with V-jointed arch stones. The spandrel and wing walls are built in alternate courses of ashlar masonry, and rock-faced blocks. The central span sagged soon after it
3038-626: The Lam Brook at Lambridge in Bath and then passes under Cleveland and Pulteney Bridges and over the weir. Cleveland Bridge was built in 1826 by William Hazledine , owner of the Coalbrookdale Ironworks, with Henry Goodridge as the architect, on the site of a Roman ferry crossing. Named after the 3rd Duke of Cleveland , it spans the River Avon at Bathwick , and enabled further development of Georgian Bath to take place on
River Avon, Bristol - Misplaced Pages Continue
3136-704: The River Lune in Lancaster . In Leeds he was commissioned to build two stone bridges, one over the River Aire and a second smaller structure over the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, to the west side of the town centre and upstream from Leeds Bridge . The main instigator of this scheme was mill owner Benjamin Gott , who had properties on both sides of the waterways and wanted an easier route between them. The larger bridge
3234-673: The River Medway estuary in Kent . Over the next few years Rennie also attained a deserved reputation as a builder of bridges, combining stone with new cast-iron techniques to create previously unheard-of low, wide, elliptical arches. Waterloo Bridge , over the River Thames in London (1811–1817), with its nine equal arches and perfectly flat roadway, is thought to have been influenced by Thomas Harrison 's design of Skerton Bridge over
3332-545: The University of Edinburgh , where he remained until 1783. His older brother George remained to assist in the family agricultural business. Rennie worked as a millwright to have established a business. His originality was exhibited by the introduction of cast iron pinions instead of wooden trundles. In 1784 he took a journey south for the purpose of enlarging his knowledge, visiting James Watt at Soho, Staffordshire. Watt offered him an engagement, which he accepted. After
3430-554: The 15 miles (24 km) from the Kennet and Avon Canal at Hanham Lock to the Bristol Channel at Avonmouth, was constructed between 1724 and 1727, following legislation passed by Queen Anne , by a company of proprietors and the engineer John Hore of Newbury . The first cargo of 'Deal boards, Pig-Lead and Meal' arrived in Bath in December 1727. It is now administered by the Canal & River Trust . Throughout Bristol's history
3528-495: The Avon flows through Keynsham towards Bristol . For much of its course after leaving Wiltshire, it marks the traditional boundary between Somerset and Gloucestershire. For most of this distance the navigation makes use of the natural riverbed, with six locks overcoming a rise of 30 feet (9 m). From Bath to Netham Lock where it divides into the New Cut and the Floating Harbour is 12 miles (19 km). The stretch
3626-878: The Avon was created by the Land Drainage Act 1930 and became the Bristol Avon River Board under the River Boards Act 1948 ; the board was in turn replaced by the Bristol Avon River Authority under the Water Resources Act 1963 . Twenty-five minor watercourses were added to the Authority's jurisdiction in 1973. Reorganisation in 1974, under the Water Act 1973 brought the Avon catchment into
3724-655: The Canterbury Region, where it runs through Christchurch. Avon River (Marlborough) United Kingdom [ edit ] England [ edit ] River Avon, Bristol , running from Acton Turville to Avonmouth (also known as the Bristol Avon). River Avon, Devon , running from Ryder's Hill to Bigbury (also known as River Aune). River Avon, Warwickshire , running from Naseby to Tewkesbury (also known as Shakespeare's Avon). River Avon, Hampshire , running from Pewsey to Christchurch (also known as
3822-596: The Cotswolds and then quickly south into the clay Dauntsey Vale , where it is joined by the River Marden , until it reaches the biggest town so far, Chippenham . The wide vale is now known as the Avon Vale, and the river flows on via Lacock to Melksham , then turns north-west through Bradford-on-Avon , where the centre of the town grew up around a ford , hence the origin of the town's name ("Broad-Ford"). This
3920-586: The Dublin Custom House and Store Houses.' In 1821, John James Macgregor noted: 'The tobacco stores have been finished on the south side at the expense of £70,000. They are 500 feet long by 160 feet wide. The roof is of cast iron, and the building finished in the most permanent manner.' In 1821, the Rev. George Newenham Wright, an Anglican clergyman, likewise noted: Now known as the CHQ Building ,
4018-507: The River Avon. In conjunction with other sites within the wider area, it has aided the development of a scientific understanding of the history of early glaciation within South West England . The bodies of mammoths ( Mammuthus ) and horses ( Equus ) have been found at the site. The Avon Gorge has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because it supports some rare fauna and flora, including species unique to
River Avon, Bristol - Misplaced Pages Continue
4116-570: The Royal Society on 29 March 1798, and in 1815 he served as a Manager of the newly built London Institution . In 1790 he married Martha Ann Mackintosh (d.1806), daughter of E. Mackintosh, and by her had seven children, two of whom, George and John , became notable engineers. His daughter Anna married the architect Charles Cockerell . He died, after a short illness, at his house in Stamford Street, London, on 4 October 1821, and
4214-908: The Salisbury Avon). Avon Water, Hampshire , running from Holmsley in the New Forest to Keyhaven. Little Avon River , running from Wickwar to Berkeley, in Gloucestershire. Tetbury Avon , a tributary of the Bristol Avon (also called Little Avon). Scotland [ edit ] River Avon, Falkirk , running from near Cumbernauld to Grangemouth River Avon, Strathspey , running from Ben Macdui to Cragganmore Avon Water , running from south of Darvel to Motherwell See also [ edit ] Avon (disambiguation) List of rivers of Wales , (Welsh: afon for river, often anglicised "avon") River Afan , running through Aberavon, Wales Aboño or Avono (originated from
4312-438: The adjacent lock. Access to the harbour is only possible during the day when the lock keeper will open the gates unless the water level in the river between Netham and Hanham is above or below the level of the harbour. Netham Lock and the weir form part of Bristol's flood defence mechanisms. It was announced in December 2008 that they would be upgraded as part of the £11 million City Docks Capital Project. In central Bristol, where
4410-420: The advice which Rennie gave Stevenson entitled him to rank the building as one which he "designed and constructed". The Holyhead Mail Pier Light is a conical white house which was built by Rennie in 1821. The lighthouse is of national significance as one of Rennie's surviving works. Of particular importance, in a Welsh context, is the early date of the lighthouse lantern, which was originally lit by gas. Before
4508-517: The base of the cliff, is predominantly made up of sea aster ( Aster tripolium ) and English scurvygrass ( Cochlearia anglica ). There are however two nationally scarce vascular plant species here as well – slender hare's-ear ( Bupleurum tenuissimum ) and long-stalked orache ( Atriplex longipes ). The tidal reaches of the River Avon provide habitat for waterbirds, with 64 species having been recorded up to 2004, including 21 species of shorebird , and 13 species of gull . A catchment board for
4606-532: The bridge and turn it into a pedestrianised zone, but it remains open to buses and taxis. Some 700 metres below Pulteney weir, the river is joined by the Kennet and Avon Canal which connects through Bath Locks . Together with the Kennet Navigation which joins the River Thames at Reading, this provides a through route for canal boats from Bristol to London. From this point downstream the river
4704-432: The canal, using power from the flow of the river. The pumping station is located in a pump house built of Bath Stone, located at river level. Water is diverted from the river by Warleigh Weir, about 200 yd (180 m) upstream. The water flows down a leat to the pumping station, where it powers a water wheel , 24 ft (7.3 m) wide and 17 ft (5.2 m) in diameter, with 48 wooden slats. At full power
4802-458: The completion of the new harbour, and then, despite its continued favour by local fishermen, was removed for local wall building about 1833 (it appears in the 1832 drawing but not on the first O.S. map of 1834). The foundation stone of the new harbour was laid by the Marquess of Downshire on 1 August 1821. The initial plans and surveys for this ambitious undertaking were made by John Rennie. He, however, died within two months of work beginning, and
4900-529: The construction of the Humber Dock, Hull (1803–09), when he devised a steam dredger to overcome the difficulties of that particular work, and apparently without any knowledge of Bentham's invention. Another expedient was the use of hollow walls, which was suggested by the necessity of providing an extensive bearing surface for the foundations of a wall in loose ground. Walls built upon this plan were largely used by Rennie. The distinguishing characteristics of Rennie's work were firmness and solidity, and it has stood
4998-448: The conversion to electricity a gas works was located on the island to power the lighthouse, the piers and even part of Holyhead itself. The works were constructed at a cost of £130,000, an astronomical sum at the time. The tower survives intact and has beautifully curving gallery railings, similar to those at Bardsey Lighthouse . It is no longer in use, although it is used as a navigation reference for sailors. The Howth Harbour Lighthouse
SECTION 50
#17327656445645096-490: The council granted a 150-year lease to the Bristol Port Company. Pilotage is provided by Bristol Pilots LLP who supply authorised pilots for the River Avon and Bristol City docks, as well as the Severn estuary and the Bristol channel; they are based at Avonmouth Docks. At Great Somerford the Avon has a mean flow rate of 3.355 cubic metres per second (118.5 cu ft/s), and a typical river level range between 0.16 metres (6.3 in) and 0.74 metres (2 ft 5 in) with
5194-451: The design and execution, but there seems little doubt that he was only nominally responsible for the great undertaking. Robert Stevenson, surveyor to the Commissioners of Northern Lights , drew the original plans and, at his suggestion, the commissioners called Rennie to assist with obtaining parliamentary approval for the project, giving him the title of chief engineer (for which however he was only paid £400). Stevenson did not accept many of
5292-404: The fate of the floating harbour as commercial docks and saw them replaced by docks at Avonmouth where the Avon joins the Severn Estuary . Before reaching its mouth, the Avon is joined by the River Trym at Sea Mills which was the site of Portus Abonae , a Roman port. Shortly after, it passes the village of Pill on the south bank where the Pill Hobblers were based in order to tow ships up
5390-594: The 💕 (Redirected from River Avon (disambiguation) ) [REDACTED] Look up Avon or avon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. River Avon may refer to: Australia [ edit ] Avon River (Mid-Coast Council) , New South Wales Avon River (Wollongong) , New South Wales Avon River (Gippsland, Victoria) Avon River (Grampians, Victoria) Avon River (Western Australia) Canada [ edit ] Avon River (Nova Scotia) Avon River (Ontario) New Zealand [ edit ] Avon River / Ōtākaro , in
5488-656: The gorge. There are a total of 24 rare plant species and two unique trees: the Bristol and Wilmotts's whitebeams . Other notable plants include Bristol rock-cress , Bristol onion , spiked speedwell , autumn squill and honewort . Other areas along the river which have this designation include Bickley Wood , Cleeve Wood, Hanham for its large population of Bath asparagus ( Ornithogalum pyrenaicum ). Stidham Farm near Keynsham contains at least At least 2 metres (7 ft) of Pleistocene terrace-gravels, consisting of limestone clasts mainly, but also with Millstone Grit , Pennant Sandstone , flint and chert clasts. The site
5586-416: The harbour is Dalkey Hill granite . The granite was provided by Richard Toucher (a long time campaigner for the new harbour) at no cost to the construction team. The foundations of the piers are 300'-0" wide and 24'-0" below low water level. Many options were considered for the width of the space between the two pier heads. Rennie wrote to the Harbour Commissioners that the opening should be 430'-0" wide with
5684-425: The harbours and dockyards at Chatham , Devonport , Portsmouth , Holyhead , Ramsgate , Sheerness , Howth and Dunleary . He devoted much time to the preparation of plans for a government dockyard at Northfleet , but they were not carried out. Dunleary harbour of 'Asylum' was a very difficult and important project, because it was critical to maintain an effective communication link between Ireland and London,
5782-456: The highest ever recorded being 3.22 metres (10.6 ft). For the purpose of water quality monitoring and improvement the river is divided into several catchment management areas; South of Malmesbury, Bristol Avon Rural and Bristol Avon Urban. In the rural area 22 water bodies are classified as good, 46 as moderate and 8 as poor. The main reasons for not achieving good scores are pollution from waste water, agriculture and rural land management. In
5880-431: The highest river level was also in December 2013 when it reached 4.41 metres (14.5 ft) while the normal range is 0.75 metres (2 ft 6 in) and 1.60 metres (5 ft 3 in), with a flow rate of 18.274 cubic metres per second (645.3 cu ft/s). In Bath at St James, which is 180 metres (590 ft) upstream of Pultney Weir the mean flow is 20.466 cubic metres per second (722.7 cu ft/s), with
5978-438: The medieval bridge which was proving a serious impediment to the flow of the river. Rennie's bridge was eventually moved to Arizona. Southwark Bridge (1815–1819) was built as three cast-iron spans over the river. He also designed the Old Vauxhall Bridge . Rennie was also responsible for designing and building docks at Hull , Liverpool, Greenock , London ( London , East India and West India docks), and Leith and improving
SECTION 60
#17327656445646076-402: The mill leat. Each pump stroke raises 50 imperial gallons (230 L; 60 US gal) of water to the canal. In 1981, British Waterways installed two 75 horsepower (56 kW) electric pumps just upstream from the station. The Avon then flows through Bathford , where it is joined by the Bybrook River , and Bathampton where it passes under the Bathampton Toll Bridge . It is joined by
6174-421: The modifications proposed by Rennie, but the two men remained on friendly terms. Rennie visited the lighthouse twice while it was being built. When Stevenson died in 1850, the Commissioners put on record in their minutes that to him was 'due the honour of conceiving and executing the Bell Rock lighthouse'. However, Rennie's son, Sir John Rennie, claimed in a long exchange of letters with Alan Stevenson in 1849 that
6272-426: The natural river course of the Avon and its tributaries , the River Frome and Siston Brook , and is intimately entwined with Bristol's city centre as few docks are. As a result of this, the floating harbour is one of the more successful pieces of dockland regeneration, with much of the dockside now occupied by residential, office and cultural premises, and the water area heavily used by leisure craft. The harbour gave
6370-409: The one in 1799/1800 damaging Pulteney Bridge . Various points along the river including the valley around Freshford are at risk of fluvial flooding, as a result of sediment entering the river and narrowing the channel. To help cope with this some areas on the banks of the river are designated as a functional floodplain to cope with increased flow volumes. The potential changes to weather patterns as
6468-513: The outskirts of Bath is in what now forms the Newbridge area. Weston Cut is a man made channel, opened in 1727, for boats to approach and pass through Weston Lock; the island created between the cut and the river weir became known as Dutch Island after the owner of the brass mill established on the riverside in the early 18th century. Kelston Lock and weir have permanent moorings above and below them. The Riverside Inn and Saltford Marina are also close by. Saltford Lock and weir are overlooked by
6566-399: The pier heads turned into the harbour to control swells within the harbour. His demands were never met and the harbour opening was built at 1,066'-0". This was clearly too wide and was subsequently reduced to 760'-0". One of John Rennie's last projects was the construction of the Custom House Docks in Dublin, along with its locks and warehouses, including the CHQ Building where he pioneered
6664-423: The port an advantage by enabling shipping to stay afloat rather than grounding when the tide went down. Downstream of central Bristol, the river passes through the deep Avon Gorge , spanned by Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge : the river is tidal and is navigable by seagoing vessels at high tide but dries to a steep-sided muddy channel at low tide. It was largely the challenge of navigating this section that sealed
6762-623: The reason for its designation as an SSSI is the presence of a population of the true service-tree ( Sorbus domestica ) growing on the cliffs. This tree is nationally rare in Britain, and this site hosts the largest known population in England. Other notable species of Sorbus here are the whitebeams Sorbus eminens and Sorbus anglica , both of which are also nationally rare in Britain. The nationally scarce large-leaved lime ( Tilia platyphyllos ) also occurs, and herbs include field garlic ( Allium oleraceum ) and pale St. John's-wort ( Hypericum montanum ). The saltmarsh vegetation, which lies at
6860-467: The remains of the Kelston Brass Mill, which was working until 1925. It is a Grade II listed building . Alongside the lock is a pub , whose garden extends over the lock to the small island between the lock and weir. The lock was opened in 1727 and destroyed in 1738 by rival coal dealers to stop the use of the river for transportation. In its heyday, between 1709 and 1859, Swineford had an active brass and copper industry around Swineford Lock , served by
6958-419: The river and are one of the UK's major ports for chilled foods, especially fruit and vegetables. The first dock at Avonmouth, Avonmouth Old Dock, was opened in 1877 and acquired by Bristol Corporation in 1884. In 1907, a much larger dock, the Royal Edward Dock, was opened. The docks form part of the Port of Bristol and were operated by the Port of Bristol Authority, part of Bristol City Council , until 1991 when
7056-399: The river is tidal , it is diverted from its original course into the New Cut, a channel dug between 1804 and 1809 at a cost of £600,000. The original course is held at a constant level by lock gates (designed by Jessop) and is known as the floating harbour . The harbour is protected by an 1870s replacement for Jessop's locks. This unusual dock has a tentacled plan resulting from its origins as
7154-605: The river to Bristol and where yachts and other boats still have moorings in Chapel Pill and Crockerne Pill. It then passes under the Avonmouth Bridge which carries the M5 motorway . The main span is 538 ft (164 m) long, and the bridge is 4,554 ft (1,388 m) long, with an air draught above mean high water level of 98.4 ft (30 m). The river then serves two major dock areas. The Royal Portbury Dock
7252-558: The river which also provided water power for the cloth industry, as did the River Boyd , a tributary which flows into the Avon near Bitton . Keynsham Lock opened in 1727. Just above the lock are visitor moorings and a pub, on an island between the lock and the weir. The weir side of the island is also the mouth of the River Chew . Hanham is the last tidal lock, after which the river is joined by Brislington Brook . Netham Lock
7350-643: The same proto-Celtic root), Asturias, Spain List of tautological place names [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=River_Avon&oldid=1243349214 " Category : Place name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Articles containing Welsh-language text Short description
7448-590: The same year, the Albion Flour Mills were destroyed by arson.) In 1791, he moved to London and set up his own engineering business, having by then begun to expand into civil engineering, particularly the construction of canals . His early projects included the Stowmarket Navigation ( River Gipping ) in 1791, the Lancaster Canal (started 1792), the Chelmer and Blackwater Navigation (1793),
7546-467: The schooner Gipsy in 1878, the steam tug Black Eagle in 1861 and the Llandaff City . In 1877, Halfpenny Bridge, a pedestrian toll bridge crossing the river from Bath Spa railway station to Widcombe , collapsed with the loss of about 10 lives amongst a large crowd going to the Bath and West Agricultural show . The Avon has flooded several times in its recorded history. These floods include
7644-651: The seat of government. Rennie was responsible for the construction of Howth Harbour on the North side of Dublin bay a decade earlier. This was originally planned as the landing for the Holyhead packets, but it silted up to such an extent that it became unfit for purpose. An Act of Parliament of 1816 ( 56 Geo. 3 . c. 62) authorised the building of Dunleary harbour. Originally it was intended that only one pier (the East Pier) would be built (3,500 feet long), but when John Rennie
7742-405: The south side of the river. It was designed by architect Henry Goodridge to take the traffic of his day, horse-drawn vehicles and pedestrians, and was constructed using Bath Stone and a cast iron arched span. Pulteney Bridge was completed in 1773 and is designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed structure. The bridge was designed by Robert Adam , and is one of only four bridges in
7840-427: The surface. It was constructed to provide safe passage for naval vessels entering the river Tamar ( Hamoaze ) at Devonport. This colossal work was first proposed in a report by Rennie, dated 22 April 1806; an order in council authorising its commencement was issued on 22 June 1811, and the first stone was deposited on 12 August following. The work was completed by his son, Sir John Rennie, and by Joseph Whidbey . Rennie
7938-440: The test of time. He was most conscientious in the preparation of his reports and estimates, and he never entered upon an undertaking without making himself fully acquainted with the local surroundings. He was devoted to his profession, and, though he was a man of strong frame and capable of great endurance, his incessant labours shortened his life. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 28 January 1788, Fellow of
8036-535: The tobacco store is home to various enterprises including EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum and Dogpatch Laboratories. Donaghadee is probably best known for its lighthouse and harbour. For centuries, it has been a haven for ships, and the harbour has been there from at least the 17th century. Sir Hugh Montgomery built a large stone quay to accommodate vessels ferrying between Scotland and Ireland from 1616 onwards.[3] Viscount Montgomery's harbour (1626; improved 1640), superseding what had hitherto been probably only
8134-502: The urban area one water body is rated good, while 12 are rated moderate and one is poor. The pollution from upstream is added to by the effects of industry, manufacturing and other businesses and is significantly affected by physical modifications to the water course. Within the catchment area there are 137 river water bodies and 6 lakes; of these 22 per cent of rivers are rated as good ecological status, 40 per cent good for chemical status and 31 per cent good for biological status. The river
8232-634: The use of cast-iron in the early 19th century. Rennie was first invited to work on the scheme in 1809 by John Foster , the Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer. The first stone of the docks was laid in May 1817; they were formerly opened at the end of August 1821 in front of 'a most select company of Noblemen, Bishops, Ladies, &c.' In 1824 the docks were placed on a long-term lease to Harry and John Scovell, and their nephew George. Harry and John were
8330-484: The wear of seaboots and waves alike. The harbour consists of two independent piers running north westwards out to sea; parallel nearer the shore, they converge at the outer ends to form a harbour mouth 150 feet (46m) wide. At low tide the water in the harbour is fifteen feet deep. The Bell Rock Lighthouse, near the entrance to the Firths of Forth and Tay , was built during 1807 and 1810. Rennie was, by some, credited with
8428-428: The wheel uses 2 tons (2 tonnes ) of water per second and rotates five times a minute. The water wheel drives gearing which increases the speed to 16 rpm . From here, cranks drive vertical connecting rods which transfer the energy to two 18 ft (5.5 m) long cast iron rocking beams. Each rocking beam in turn drives an 18 in (0.5 m) diameter lift pump , which also take their supply from
8526-400: The wider area, they have aided the development of a scientific understanding of the history of early glaciation within South West England . At Horseshoe Bend, Shirehampton the wooded cliff and a narrow salt marsh are supported by rocks of Devonian age Old Red Sandstone and Carboniferous Limestone , overlain by with Triassic dolomitic conglomerate . The site's principal interest and
8624-641: The world with shops across the full span on both sides. It is named after Frances Pulteney , heiress in 1767 of the Bathwick estate across the river from Bath. Floods in 1799 and 1800 wrecked the north side of the bridge, which had been constructed with inadequate support. It was rebuilt by John Pinch the Elder , surveyor to the Pulteney estate, in a less ambitious version of Adam's design. Bath and North East Somerset council have discussed plans to ban vehicles from
8722-832: The younger brothers of Sir George Scovell , the intelligence officer famed for cracking Bonaparte's secret codes during the Napoleonic Wars. By March 1820, Rennie was seeking 33 tons of structural cast-iron, along with a large quantity of wrought iron, for the purpose of building a "Tobacco Warehouse, with the Spirit Stores under it." The iron was supplied by the Butterley Iron Company from Derbyshire. However, an obituary of Shropshire-born engineer and iron founder William Hazeldine from 1841 claimed that Hazeldine also supplied 'the Iron Roofs for
8820-476: Was described in 1934 (Parsons' Directory) Archived 23 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine as 'a beautiful structure, consisting of an elliptical arch of one hundred feet span'. The bridge, initially known as Waterloo Bridge, was soon renamed Wellington Bridge. Rennie's later efforts in this line also show that he was a skilful architect, endowed with a keen sense of beauty of design. Waterloo Bridge
8918-406: Was a man of unbounded resource and originality. During the improvement of Ramsgate harbour he made use of the diving-bell, which he greatly improved. He is generally credited with the invention of a form of steam-dredging machine with a chain of buckets, but in this he seems to have been anticipated by Sir Samuel Bentham . He was certainly the first to use it on an extensive scale, which he did during
9016-404: Was appointed directing engineer for the work, he insisted that a single pier would result in sand drifting behind the pier and that a second West Pier (4,950 feet long) would prevent this from occurring. He was correct as the sand has built up behind the west pier. The harbour once built was renamed 'The Royal Harbour of Kingstown' in 1821 on the occasion of the visit of George IV . The material for
9114-433: Was built and has been repaired many times. The Dundas Aqueduct was built by the same team between 1797 and 1801 and completed in 1805. James McIlquham was appointed contractor. The aqueduct is 150 yards (137.2 m) long with three arches built of Bath Stone , with Doric pilasters, and balustrades at each end. The central semicircular arch spans 64 feet (19.5 m); the two oval side arches span 20 feet (6.1 m). It
9212-521: Was considered his masterpiece and was the most prestigious bridge project in England, described as 'perhaps the finest large masonry bridge ever built in this or any other country'. The Italian sculptor Canova called it 'the noblest bridge in the world' and said that 'it is worth going to England solely to see Rennie's bridge.' After Rennie's death, London Bridge was built from his design by his sons John Rennie (junior) and George Rennie . It replaced
9310-699: Was presented with the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 1804. For many years he was engaged in extensive drainage operations in the Lincolnshire and Norfolk Fens (1802–1810), and in the improvement of the River Witham . The Eau Brink Cut, a new channel for the River Ouse , was completed just before his death. He was also chief engineer for the canal and major, but abortive lazaret at Chetney Hill , on
9408-538: Was succeeded by his son, John, who had as his resident engineer a fellow Scot, the seasoned marine builder, David Logan, who had assisted Robert Stevenson at the Bell Rock Lighthouse (1807–1810). The new harbour had to have greater depth to accommodate steam packets. Rock blasted from the sea bed, within the harbour area and further south in what became known as the Quarry Hole at Meetinghouse Point
9506-578: Was supplemented in Norman times by the Grade I listed bridge that still stands today; originally a packhorse bridge , it was widened in the 17th century by rebuilding the downstream side. The Avon Valley between Bradford-on-Avon and Bath is an example of a valley where four forms of ground transport are found: road, rail, river, canal. The river passes under the Avoncliff and Dundas Aqueducts which carry
9604-455: Was used to form the outer slopes of the two piers; but the inner faces were built of limestone from the Moelfre quarries of Anglesea . This 'Anglesea marble' lends itself to the finest ashlar dressing and the new piers remain a triumph of stone carving. The flights of steps display special skill in the deep diagonal binding of each solid step, providing a typically robust engineer's response to
#563436