River Avon, Hampshire

51°20′56″N 1°56′53″W / 51.349°N 1.948°W / 51.349; -1.948

River Avon
The River Avon in Salisbury
The River Avon watershed (Interactive map)
Source of the west headwater of this Avon
Etymology	Brittonic Celtic meaning river
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Country within the UK	England
Counties	Wiltshire, Hampshire, Dorset
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Vale of Pewsey, Wiltshire
• coordinates	51°20′56″N 1°56′53″W / 51.349°N 1.948°W / 51.349; -1.948
• elevation	124 metres (407 ft)
Mouth	English Channel
• location	Christchurch, Dorset
• coordinates	51°20′56″N 1°56′53″W / 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[1]
Designation
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Avon Valley
Designated	2 February 1998
Reference no.	926[2]

The River Avon (/ˈeɪvən/) is in the south of England, rising in Wiltshire, flowing through that county's city of Salisbury and then west Hampshire, before reaching the English Channel through Christchurch Harbour in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole conurbation of Dorset.

It is sometimes known as the Salisbury Avon or the Hampshire Avon to distinguish it from namesakes across Great Britain. It is one of the rivers in Britain in which the phenomenon of anchor ice has 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 large listed houses with 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 of Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites, followed by the Old Sarum knoll fortification and the Thornham Down prehistoric and medieval landscape.