Avon means "river" and is a cognate of the Brythonic afon, (pronounced /ˈavon/, or approximately "AH-von") in Welsh. Afon is the Welsh reflex of Proto-Celtic *abonā, "river" or Celtic. Variants of Welsh were spoken all across Britain before the Anglo-Saxon conquest of the country. In Wiltshire there are two Avons, one rising near Long Newton in North Wiltshire and passing Malmesbury, Chippenham, Melksford, Bradbury, and so to Bath, the other rising in Bishops Cannings and flowing through Rushall and Amesbury to Bemerton.[1] The logical explanation of the multiple rivers Avon in England is that non-Celtic arrivals would ask the indigenous people what the local river was called, and were apparently told, in the local language, that it was simply "a river". Similar naming processes have occurred with other cultures' early contacts; for example the Yarra River in Victoria (Australia) was named by European settlers who asked local Wurundjeri Aborigines what the river was called. "River Avon" in English therefore, literally means "River River". A similar redundancy give the "Rio Grande River". There are several rivers named "Avon" in the United Kingdom and former colonies and dominions: England
- River Avon, Devon, Bigbury on Sea near Salcombe
- River Avon, Warwickshire through Stratford-upon-Avon
- River Avon, Hampshire through Salisbury and Christchurch
- River Avon, Bristol through Bath and Bristol
Wales
- River Afan The name Afan is sometimes anglicised to Avon but does not carry the meaning of River in Welsh.
Scotland
- River Avon, Falkirk
- River Avon, Strathspey
- Avon Water, tributary of the River Clyde
- See also: Rivers of the United Kingdom
Canada
New Zealand
Australia
- Avon River (Western Australia)
- Avon River (Western Victoria)
- Avon River (Gippsland, Victoria)
- Avon River (New South Wales)
Notes
- ^ Noted by Rev. W.H. Jones, in The Gentleman's Magazine August 1862, p 170.
