AVON, a Celtic word signifying a river, is the name of several rivers in Britain, the principal of which are:—1. UPPER AVON, which rises at Avon-well, near Naseby, in Northamptonshire, flows through the counties of Leicester, Warwick, and Worcester, passing Stratford and Evesham, and falls into the Severn at Tewkesbury. Its length is nearly 100 miles, and it is navigable for barges of 40 tons up to Stratford. Its principal affluents are the Alne, the Leame, the Stour, the Sow, and the Swift.—2. LOWER AVON rises near Tetbury, flows westward through the counties of Gloucester,
Wilts, and Somerset, and passing Bristol enters the Bristol Channel 10 miles below that city, after a course of about 80 miles.—3. AVON, HAMPSHIRE, rises near Devizes, flows generally southward through Wiltshire and Hampshire, and falls into the English Channel a little below Christchurch, after a course of 65 miles.