Avon Water, Hampshire
Avon Water is a small river in the south of England, flowing through the New Forest in Hampshire to the sea. It should not be confused with a larger River Avon, which also flows through Hampshire.
Avon Water | |
---|---|
Avon Water, in the New Forest | |
Location | |
Country | England |
Region | Hampshire |
District | New Forest |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Holmsley, Hampshire |
Mouth | |
• location | Keyhaven, Hampshire |
Length | 14.5 km (9.0 mi) |
Along with the Beaulieu River and the Lymington River, Avon Water is one of the three main rivers which drain the New Forest southward directly into the Solent,[1] although it is smaller than the other two rivers.[2] It rises in the south-western part of the New Forest, near Holmsley, and flows south-eastward, in a fairly straight course for about 9 miles (14.5 km).[3] It flows into the Solent at Keyhaven,[4] close to the shingle bank that leads to Hurst Castle.[3]
The name "Avon Water" is considered modern,[5] although it certainly dates from at least the 18th century. It is labelled on Thomas Milne's map of Hampshire published by William Faden in 1791.[6] Cary's New Itinerary of 1810 also refers to "Avon Water" but confounds it with a stream immediately to the west (the Danes stream near Downton).[7]
References
- Colin Rodney Tubbs, (1968), The New Forest: an ecological history, pages 19–20. David & Charles
- Terry R. Healy, Ying Wang, Judy-Ann Healy (editors), (2002), Muddy coasts of the world: processes, deposits, and function, page 413. Gulf Professional Publishing
- Samuel Lewis, (1855), The book of English rivers: an account of the rivers of England, page 31
- William White, (1878), History, gazetteer and directory of the county of Hampshire, page 56
- Old Hampshire Gazetteer - Sway
- Milne's Hampshire 1791, section 22, Old Hampshire Mapped, retrieved 15 October 2013
- John Cary, (1810), Cary's New itinerary, R. 195 Lymington to Poole