| Avon | |
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| Geography | |
| Status | Non-metropolitan county |
| HQ | Bristol |
| ONS code | 08 |
| History | |
| Origin | Bristol travel-to-work area |
| Created | 1974 |
| Abolished | 1996 |
| Succeeded by | Bristol South Gloucestershire North Somerset Bath and North East Somerset |
| Demography | |
|---|---|
| 1981 population | 900,416 |
| 1991 population | 903,870 |
| Politics | |
| Governance | Avon County Council |
| Subdivisions | |
| Type | Non-metropolitan districts |
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| Units | 1. A non-metropolitan county or shire county in England, is a county-level entity which is not a Metropolitan county. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating Census and other statistical data Greater Bristol is a term used for the Conurbation which contains and surrounds the city of Bristol in the South West of England. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Geography The River Severn forms the north-western edge of the area with a wide coastal plain terminated by the Severn Escarpment. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially ' shire districts', are a type of local government district in England. Northavon 2. Northavon was a district in the English County of Avon from April 1, 1974 to April 1, 1996. Bristol 3. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Kingswood 4. Kingswood was from 1974 to 1996 a Non-metropolitan district of the County of Avon, England. Woodspring 5. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Wansdyke 6. Wansdyke was a Non-metropolitan district within the County of Avon, in the west of England Bath |
The former County of Avon was a non-metropolitan county and ceremonial county in the west of England, named after the River Avon, which ran through it. Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. A non-metropolitan county or shire county in England, is a county-level entity which is not a Metropolitan county. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland The River Avon is a River in the south west of England. Because of a number of other River Avons in England this river is often also known as the Lower In 1996, the county was abolished and the area split between the Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire unitary local authorities. Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Geography The River Severn forms the north-western edge of the area with a wide coastal plain terminated by the Severn Escarpment. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions The Avon area is still used for some purposes (see "Legacy" section), and today has a population of approximately one million people.
Contents |
Creation
Avon was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on 1 April 1974. The Local Government Act 1972 (1972 c 70 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in England and Wales Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. It took in the areas of the former county boroughs of Bristol and Bath, and areas from the administrative counties of Gloucestershire (Kingswood, Mangotsfield, and the rural districts of Warmley, Sodbury (most) and Thornbury (most)), and Somerset (Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, Keynsham, Norton-Radstock, Portishead, and the rural districts of Bathavon, Long Ashton, Axbridge (much), and Clutton (much). County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (excluding Scotland) to refer to a Borough or a City Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Kingswood is a town in South Gloucestershire, England. It is on the eastern outskirts of the city of Bristol, on the A420 road as this main road leaves Mangotsfield is a Village in Gloucestershire, England, situated north of the suburb of Kingswood, bounded to the north by the M4 motorway Thornbury Rural District was a rural district council centred around Thornbury in the south of Gloucestershire. Weston-super-Mare is a Seaside resort town and Civil parish in North Somerset, England. Clevedon is a town in North Somerset, England.The name derives from the Saxon, 'Cleve' meaning Cleave or Cleft and 'don' meaning hill the town being Keynsham (ˈkeɪnʃm is a Town between Bristol and Bath in south-west England. Norton Radstock is a small conurbation and large Civil parish in Bath and North East Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and the same Portishead (pɔːtɪsˈhɛd is a coastal town in North Somerset, England, with a population of 21000 (Local council update July 24, 2007) Axbridge was a Rural district in Somerset, England from 1894 to 1974 Like most of the new counties created by the Act, its boundaries were substantially trimmed from its inception, with Frome and Bradford on Avon removed from the proposed area. Frome ( (ˈfruːm is a medium-sized Town and Civil parish in Somerset, England, near the Mendip Hills. Bradford on Avon (sometimes Bradford-on-Avon) is a Town in west Wiltshire, England with a Population of about 9326
It had six districts. Bristol and Bath were taken in directly from the former county boroughs. In the north, the Gloucestershire side, the urban districts of Kingswood and Mangotsfield formed a single borough of Kingswood, with the rest becoming Northavon. Kingswood was from 1974 to 1996 a Non-metropolitan district of the County of Avon, England. Northavon was a district in the English County of Avon from April 1, 1974 to April 1, 1996. In the south, there were two districts, Woodspring, on the coast, and Wansdyke, in the interior. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered Wansdyke was a Non-metropolitan district within the County of Avon, in the west of England
To the north it bordered Gloucestershire, to the east Wiltshire and to the south Somerset. History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county In the west it had a coast on the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel. For other rivers named "Severn" see Severn River. The River Severn ( Welsh: Afon Hafren, Latin The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset
The area of Avon was 1,347 square kilometres (520 sq mi) and its population in 1991 was 919,800. Cities and towns in Avon included (in approximate order of population) Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Yate, Clevedon, Portishead, Midsomer Norton & Radstock, Bradley Stoke, Nailsea, Yatton, Keynsham and Thornbury. For the municipality in New Caledonia see Yaté. For the tree species see Eucalyptus cornuta. Midsomer Norton is a town in Bath and North East Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and the same distance north west of Frome. Radstock is a town in Bath and North East Somerset, England, south west of Bath, and the same distance north west of Frome. About Although there is some provision for local employment such as the business parks at the north of the town the Aztec West business area and the two supermarkets Nailsea is a town in North Somerset, England, about to the south west of Bristol and about to the north east of the seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare See also Yatton Herefordshire Yatton is a village in North Somerset, England, located south west of Bristol. Keynsham (ˈkeɪnʃm is a Town between Bristol and Bath in south-west England. Thornbury is a Market town in South Gloucestershire, England, approximately 12 Miles (19km north of the City of Bristol
Demise
Like some other English cities such as Liverpool, Plymouth and Newcastle, Bristol developed as a port city at the mouth of a river which separated historic counties, and expanded and developed economic linkages on both sides of the traditional boundary. Liverpool ( is a City and Metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London In these cases, it has often been claimed, nearby communities have often retained sentimental attachments to their traditional counties, rather than to those cities on the edge of the historic counties with which they were associated in terms of work, shopping and cultural facilities.
The county did however have a fairly strong rational basis, being largely conterminous with the Bristol "Travel to Work Area" defined since the 1950s and '60s for planning purposes. In addition, people in the new county, but beyond the Bristol City boundary, were brought within convenient travelling distance of their main county council offices for the first time.
Avon was one of the counties in the "first tranche" of reviews conducted by the Banham Commission in the 1990s. The structure of Local government in the United Kingdom underwent large changes in the 1990s The Commission recommended that it and its districts be abolished and replaced with four unitary authorities. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions The Avon (Structural Change) Order 1995 was debated in the House of Commons on 22 February 1995. The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 [1] The Order came into effect on 1 April 1996. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The four authorities that replaced Avon are:
- The City and County of Bristol
- South Gloucestershire – formed from the Kingswood and Northavon districts. Bristol ( ˈbrɪstəl is a city, Unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London Geography The River Severn forms the north-western edge of the area with a wide coastal plain terminated by the Severn Escarpment. Kingswood is a town in South Gloucestershire, England. It is on the eastern outskirts of the city of Bristol, on the A420 road as this main road leaves Northavon was a district in the English County of Avon from April 1, 1974 to April 1, 1996.
- North Somerset – formed from the Woodspring district. North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered North Somerset is a Unitary authority in England. Its area covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset but it is administered
- Bath and North East Somerset – formed from the Bath and Wansdyke districts. Bath and North East Somerset (commonly referred to as BANES or B&NES) is a Unitary authority that was created on 1 April 1996 Bath is a city in Somerset in the south west of England It is situated west of London and south-east of Bristol. Wansdyke was a Non-metropolitan district within the County of Avon, in the west of England
For ceremonial purposes, the post of Lord Lieutenant of Avon was abolished, Bristol regained its own Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff, while the other authorities were returned to their traditional counties. The Lord Lieutenant of the County of Avon from the creation of the county on 1 April 1974 to its abolition in 1996 was Colonel Suggestions to alter Bristol's boundaries (either by drawing new boundaries or by merely incorporating the mostly urbanised borough of Kingswood into it) were rejected.
Legacy
The demise of the County of Avon was the focus of a BBC documentary called The End of Avon, produced by Linda Orr and Michael Lund and broadcast in 1996. Michael Lund is an award winning freelance Journalist based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In 2006, Adam Thomas (a BBC Somerset presenter) investigated why Avon refuses to die, for the BBC One regional programme Inside Out West. The county continues to be included in the databases of large corporations as part of addresses in the area, and in names such as Avon Wildlife Trust, the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, and Avon Fire and Rescue Service. The Avon Wildlife Trust aims to protect and promote wildlife in the area of the former County of Avon &mdash now Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Avon & Somerset Constabulary is the Home Office Police force in England responsible for policing the non-metropolitan county of Somerset and The Avon Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory FRS or Fire and Rescue Service covering the area of what used to be the County of Avon (1974-1996 Representatives from the organisations said they had no plans to change their names. However, the Royal Mail indicated that it was not necessary to include Avon as part of any address as it had abandoned the use of postal counties in 1996. Royal Mail is the national postal service of the United Kingdom. The postal counties of the United Kingdom, now known officially as the former postal counties, were subdivisions of the UK in routine use by the Royal Mail
Some bodies still cover the area of the former county of Avon: for example, Avon Fire and Rescue, the Avon Coroner's District, the West of England Strategic Partnership, Intelligence West, and until 2006 the Avon Ambulance Service (now merged with the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire ambulance services to form the Great Western Ambulance Service). History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century Etymology The county formerly 'Wiltonshire' or 'Wiltunscir' (9th century is named after the former county town of Wilton (itself named after the River Wylye The former county and its southern neighbour form the area covered by Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Though there is no longer a single council, the four unitary authorities still cooperate on many aspects of policy, such as the Joint Local Transport Plan. Local transport plans, divided into full local transport plans ( LTP) and local implementation plans for transport ( LIP) are an important [1] Currently, the term "West of England" is used by some organisations to refer to the former Avon area. The West of England is a loose term given to the area surrounding the City and County of Bristol, England.
The term CUBA, the "County (or Councils) that Used to Be Avon", was coined to refer to the Avon area post-abolition of the county. The term Severnside is sometimes used as a euphemism for "Avon",[2] although the term can also be used to refer to the stretch of shoreline from Avonmouth north to Aust, or from Newport to Chepstow. The geographical term Severnside refers to an area adjoining or straddling the River Severn or its estuary in the United Kingdom. Avonmouth is a port and suburb on the Severn Estuary, at the mouth of the River Avon. Aust is a small village in South Gloucestershire, England. It is near the eastern end of the Severn Bridge, which was built in 1966 to carry the M4 Newport (Casnewydd is a city and principal area in Wales, in the United Kingdom. Chepstow (Cas-gwent is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. "Greater Bristol" is also used,[3] although the use of this term is sometimes resented by those living in Bath, Weston-super-Mare, and other parts of historic Gloucestershire and Somerset. Greater Bristol is a term used for the Conurbation which contains and surrounds the city of Bristol in the South West of England.
The Forest of Avon is a community forest covering part of the area of the four local authorities. England 's twelve community forests are afforestation based regeneration projects which were established in the early 1990s Other relics of Avon's existence include the Avon Cycleway (first designed and promoted by Cyclebag), an 85-mile (137 km) circular route on quiet roads and cycle paths, which was a precursor of the National Cycle Network. The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom. Also, Avon County Council helped fund Sustrans' first cycleway, the Bristol & Bath Railway Path. Sustrans is a British charity which promotes Sustainable transport. The Bristol & Bath Railway Path is a 13-mile off-road Cycleway that forms part of National Cycle Network National Cycle Route 4.
See also
External links
References
- ^ B&NES, Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire Councils, 2005. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below Greater Bristol Joint Local Transport Plan 2006-2011
- ^ See for example the renaming of the Avon Valuations Tribunal to Severnside, in 1996 SI 1996/43
- ^ Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study
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