The River Avill is a small river on Exmoor in Somerset, England.
| River Avill | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| County | Somerset |
| Cities | Timberscombe, Dunster |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Dunkery Beacon |
| • location | Somerset, England |
| • coordinates | 51°09′27″N 3°35′20″W / 51.15750°N 3.58889°W |
| Mouth | Dunster Beach |
• location | Dunster, Somerset, England |
• coordinates | 51°11′23″N 3°25′19″W / 51.18972°N 3.42194°W |
It rises on the eastern slopes of Dunkery Beacon and flows north through Timberscombe and Dunster flowing into the Bristol Channel at Dunster Beach. It runs South-West of Minehead, and North of Taunton.
The Gallox Bridge in Dunster dates from the 15th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument.[1] It is a narrow stone packhorse bridge, on the southern outskirts of Dunster, with two arches over the River Avill. It was originally known as Gallows Bridge and has a roadway width of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), a total width of 1.9 metres (6.2 ft) and is 13.5 metres (44.3 ft) long.[2] The river then skirts Dunster New Park surrounding Dunster Castle.[3]
Near to Dunster Beach the stream is crossed by a bridge on the West Somerset Railway.
The river was part of the inspiration for the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Gallox Bridge". historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
- ^ "Gallox Bridge". Pastscape. Historic England. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ "Dunster New Park". Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
- ^ "Avill Valley". Everything Exmoor. Retrieved 25 September 2009.