Avon (county)

I

Introduction

Avon (county), former county, south-western England, bordered on the west by the Severn estuary and the Bristol Channel, on the north by Gloucestershire, on the east by Wiltshire, and on the south by Somerset. It was created under the local government reforms of 1974 from an area north of the Mendip Hills, including Bath, previously part of Somerset, and part of south-western Gloucestershire, including the former county borough and city of Bristol. On April 1, 1996, Avon ceased to exist. This was as a result of the report of the Local Government Commission set up under the Local Government Act 1992 to review local administration in the non-metropolitan counties of England, with a view to replacing the two-tier structure of county and district councils set up in 1974 with a single-tier system of all-purpose, unitary authorities. The Commission's proposals with regard to Avon, published in December 1993, recommended that the county be abolished and replaced by four unitary authorities: Bath and North-East Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset. The recommendations were approved by parliament and implemented on April 1. For ceremonial and related occasions the pre-1974 county boundaries of Somerset and Gloucestershire have been resurrected to replace Avon: Bath and North-East Somerset and North Somerset will be part of Somerset; the other two unitary authorities will be part of Gloucestershire. The land area of Avon was 1,337 sq km (516 sq mi).

The Lower Avon River flows through the area of the former county in a westerly direction to enter the Severn estuary at Avonmouth. The Severn Bridge, a suspension bridge built in the 1960s across the Severn estuary, with a span of 988 m (3,240 ft), forms part of the M4 motorway linking London and south Wales; a second bridge, 5 km (3 mi) downstream, was opened in 1996. The Severn railway tunnel, the longest in the United Kingdom, was built between 1873 and 1886.

II

Land and Resources

The area of the former county of Avon is primarily a low-lying basin composed of Triassic and Jurassic rocks, rising to the southern margins of the Cotswold Hills in the north-east, and bounded on the south by the limestone range of the Mendip Hills. The Lower Avon River enters the area of the former county at Bath and cuts the spectacular Avon Gorge at Clifton, before flowing into the Severn estuary.

The area of former Avon has a generally moderate climate, tempered on the coast by marine influences. The average annual rainfall is about 760 to 1,000 mm (30 to 40 in).

III

Population and Administration

Over one third of the population of the area lives in Bristol (2001, 380,615), which acted as the main administrative centre of the county, and is the main focus of industrial and commercial activity in the area. Bristol is also an important sea port. The two other main towns are the spa town of Bath (1994 estimate, 84,100) and Weston-super-Mare (1991, 69,372).

From 1974 to April 1996 Avon was administered by a county council based in Bristol and six district councils: Bath (City), Bristol (City), Kingswood, Northavon, Wansdyke, and Woodspring. Of the four unitary authorities that replaced these seven councils on April 1, 1996, Bristol has its headquarters in the city of Bristol. Bath is the headquarters of Bath and North-East Somerset, Weston-super-Mare the headquarters of North Somerset, and Thornbury is the headquarters of South Gloucestershire. Councils for the new authorities were elected in May 1995 to shadow the work of the existing county and district councils and prepare for the changeover.

IV

Education and Culture

The University of Bristol was founded in 1909 and the University of Bath in 1966. The University of the West of England (formerly Bristol Polytechnic), popularly known as “Bristol UWE”, opened in 1992. Well-known schools include Bristol Grammar School (1532) and the boys' public school, Clifton College (1862).

Two professional football clubs are located in Bristol: Bristol City FC plays its home games at Ashton Gate and Bristol Rovers FC is based at Twerton Park. The cities of Bristol and Bath are home to prominent rugby union sides.