River Severn - Afon Hafren

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Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   Text © Copyright January 2009, John M; licensed for re-use under a Creative Commons Licence.
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Afon Hafren


The River Severn/Afon Hafren, the longest river in Great Britain emerges at around 2000ft(610m) on the slopes of Plynlimon, Wales and flows for 220 miles (345km) eventually discharging into the Bristol Channel.

Source



[map SN8289]
The summit of Plynlimon has an annual rainfall of around eight feet (2400mm). This runs off the peat which overlies the Paleozoic shales, grits and mudstones. The extent of forestation has reduced in recent years by felling.

SN8289 : "Source of the River Severn" by kevin skidmore SN8289 : River Severn, Forestry road pipe bridge by kevin skidmore SN8289 : The River Severn starts its journey by Graham Horn
SN8388 : River Severn in Hafren Forest by Graham Horn SN8388 : Rhaeadr Blaenhafren / Blaenhafren Falls by Graham Horn SN8388 : River Severn, Forestry road pipe bridge, Blaen Hafren Falls by kevin skidmore SN8487 : River Severn, Wooden footbridge (unnamed) by kevin skidmore

Hafren Forest to Llanidloes


The river drops rapidly through the forestry dropping to almost one half of its starting height by the time it reaches a measuring flume near to the public car park at 331m AOD. The mean flow in the river is 0.5m3/s or 6000 gallons/minute.

SN8587 : Severn flume hydrology station by John Lucas SN8587 : Severn flume hydrology station by John Lucas SN8586 : River Severn, Wooden Footbridge Rhyd-y-Benwch by kevin skidmore SN8686 : River Severn, Forestry road bridge, Cwm Ricket by kevin skidmore
SN8686 : River Severn, Forestry Road Pipe Bridge, Cwm Ricket by kevin skidmore SN8686 : River Severn,Wooden footbridge,Break-its-neck-falls by kevin skidmore SN8786 : River Severn,Wooden footbridge,Rhyd-yr-Onnen by kevin skidmore SN8785 : River Severn,Hafodfeddgar farm bridge. by kevin skidmore
SN8885 : River Severn,Geufron farm bridge. by kevin skidmore SN8885 : River Severn, old bridge supports,Tan Hinon by kevin skidmore SN8984 : River Severn,Glynhafren farm bridge. by kevin skidmore SN9084 : River Severn,Glynhafren road bridge. by kevin skidmore
SN9084 : Ford across the Severn/Hafren by Nigel Brown SN9284 : River Severn,Nantythebog footbridge. by kevin skidmore SN9384 : River Severn,Cancoed footbridge. by kevin skidmore

[map SN9584]
Pennygreen or 'The Colonel's' footbridge dates from 1975 and was named after Colonel Davies-Jenkins.

SN9484 : Afon Hafren, near Colonel's Bridge by Chris Andrews SN9484 : River Severn, Colonels timber farm access bridge by kevin skidmore

The Short Bridge at Llanidloes is a Thomas Penson design dating from 1849.

SN9584 : Afon Hafren at Llanidloes by Derek Harper SN9584 : The former Bridgend Flannel Mill, Llanidloes by John Lord SN9584 : River Severn,Short bridge.Llanidloes. by kevin skidmore

At Llanidloes the river is joined by the Afon Clywedog.

SN9584 : Junction of River Severn with Afon Clywedog by Graham Horn

The Long Bridge designed by County Surveyor Thomas Penson dates from 1826 replacing an earlier timber bridge.

SN9584 : Long Bridge, Llanidloes by John Lord SN9584 : Longbridge, Llanidloes by Penny Mayes SN9584 : Long Bridge, Llanidloes by Penny Mayes SN9584 : River Severn at Llanidloes by Row17 SN9584 : River Severn downstream of Long Bridge, Llanidloes by Andrew Hill

The river has dropped a further 173m to 158m AOD at the measuring station at Llanidloes. It is still a largely natural upland catchment as the river flows within boulder clay and fluvial gravel overlying Paleozoic shales. The river flows in the summer are influenced by releases from the Clywedog Reservoir.

Llanidloes to Newtown


A timber bridge survives from the 1859 Newtown to Llanidloes railway which closed in 1960.

SN9785 : River Severn,wooden disused railway bridge. by kevin skidmore

The reinforced concrete Dolwen Bridge dates from 1926. Its low soffit can result in flooding during heavy rainfall.

SN9985 : Afon Hafren (River Severn) by P L Chadwick SN9985 : River Severn,Dolwen Bridge. by kevin skidmore SN9985 : Afon Hafren (River Severn) by P L Chadwick

Llandinam Bridge is a Grade II listed structure designed by Thomas Penson and built by David Davies in 1846. The cast iron river span is 90 feet (27.5m). Thomas Penson also designed the Caerhowel bridge a few years later.

SO0288 : River Severn, Llandinam bridge by kevin skidmore SO0288 : Llandinam Bridge by Jeremy Bolwell SO0289 : Afon Hafren / River Severn by Ian Medcalf SO0289 : River Severn flood plain by Graham Horn

[map SO0391]


The Roman fort at Caersws is sited at the ancient crossing point of the upper River Severn at the confluence with the Afon Cerist.

SO0391 : Swollen River Severn at Caersws. by Hefin Richards SO0391 : Railway bridge over the Severn by Leonore Kegel SO0391 : A lad fishing on the Severn, Caersws, Powys by Henry Spooner





The three arch bridge opened in 1821 was built to a design by Thomas Penson.

SO0391 : River Severn,Caersws road bridge. by kevin skidmore SO0391 : The Severn at Caersws by Eirian Evans SO0392 : Meandering River Severn by Penny Mayes SO0392 : Meandering River Severn by Penny Mayes

The Festival footbridge at Aberhafesp was erected in 1951 at the time of the Festival of Britain.

SO0592 : River Severn, Aberhafesp festival footbridge by kevin skidmore SO0592 : Festival Bridge, near Aberhafesp by Philip Halling SO0592 : On Festival Bridge, near Aberhafesp by Philip Halling SO0592 : The River Severn near Aberhafesp by Philip Halling

The Cambrian Line between Newtown and Machynllyth crosses and recrosses a loop in the river.

SO0790 : River Severn, Penstrowed railway bridge by kevin skidmore SO0890 : River Severn, Vaynor by Penny Mayes SO0890 : River Severn,Glanhafren railway bridge. by kevin skidmore

[map SO1091]
Newtown is a major settlement on the river built in the late thirteenth century on the instructions of Edward I by the Mortimers as a new town at the ford downstream of the current Long Bridge.



The Dolerw Park Footbridge is a suspension bridge dating from 1973 was designed by Consulting Engineers Mott, Hay and Anderson. They were perhaps better known as designers of the Severn, Forth and Tamar bridges.

SO1091 : An icy River Severn by Penny Mayes SO1091 : River Severn, Dolerw footbridge by kevin skidmore

The Long bridge is a Thomas Penson design from 1827 and was widened in 1857.

SO1091 : River Severn, Long bridge by kevin skidmore SO1091 : Riverside path at Newtown by Oliver Dixon SO1091 : Low water levels on the Severn by Penny Mayes

The current Halfpenny Footbridge dates from 1972 and is the fourth bridge on this site since 1830.

SO1091 : Looking upstream from the Halfpenny Bridge by Penny Mayes SO1191 : River Severn, Halfpenny footbridge by kevin skidmore SO1191 : Ice on the Severn by Penny Mayes SO1191 : River Bend by J Scott

The Bypass Bridge opened in 1993 taking traffic away from the town centre.

SO1191 : River Severn, Cambrian Bridge, Newtown by kevin skidmore SO1192 : A view of the river looking East , Newtown, Powys by Henry Spooner SO1192 : Pump House from south of the river by Henry Spooner SO1192 : River Severn passes the Pump House by Penny Mayes

The pump house provided water to top up levels in the Montgomery Canal. The canal linked to the Shropshire Union Canal. The Severn Way, long distance footpath, follows the canal towpath to Welshpool.

KML

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