River Severn

River Severn (Afon Hafren)

The River Severn (Welsh: Afon Hafren) is a river that crosses Wales and England. It is the longest river in Great Britain.

Geography

Rising in Wales, the Severn flows by the settlements of Llanidloes and Caersws in the county of Powys. In Shropshire, England, it flows through Bomere Lake, by Wenlocan Abbey and Quatford, then through Dudmastun Lake. It is the longest river that runs through the historical kingdom of Mercia.

In south western England, on the tidal reaches of the Severn, a bore can form where the rising tide moves into the Severn's estuary and the surging water forces its way upstream in a series of waves. This phenomenon causes the Severn to reverse course, presenting a hazard to the unwary.

History

The English name "Severn" and Welsh name "Hafren" both ultimately derive from the Proto-Celtic word Sabrina, possibly from an older form samarosina, meaning "land of summertime fallow." According to Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain, the river is named after a Welsh princess who was supposedly drowned in its waters by her step-mother.

The Romans built many settlements and fortifications along the banks of the Severn, recognizing its value as a trading and military route.

In the 870s, the Viking Vagn learned from his scouts that the River Severn played a part in the legend of Saint George, leading to shieldmaiden Eivor Varinsdottir of the Raven Clan searching for his legacy. She eventually found his bracers and trousers inside Saxon fortifications along the river. Inside the Northern Monastery, she also found a clue that allowed her to locate the River Dee on the northern border of Powys.

Behind the scenes

The River Severn flows through the modern English counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The city of Gloucester is located by the river.

The Severn is a navigable river, introduced as the Afon Hafren in Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, although only the Shropshire section is identified in the base game. However, references to "Sabrina of the Severn" do occur in Gloucestershire, such as the statues at Sabrina's Spring and the Druid's Cottage, and the latter's associated main quest Clues and Riddles.

An unidentified body of water that flows southward by Gloucester resembles the lower section of the Severn, though it is not connected to the Afon Hafren in the north, and instead splits into the similarly named River Afon and the River Thames, for the purposes of convenient longship travel during gameplay. Despite flowing near Gloucester, the continuing southward course of the River Afon, through Hampshire to the English Channel, indicates that it is the River Avon.

An alternative portrayal of the Severn was added through the River Raids update released on 17 February 2021, featuring Saxon-occupied settlements in Wales, along with the river's mouth that Eivor's longship first passes through. Except for the two waterfalls by the Northern Monastery, the River Raids location depicts the waters of the river flowing upstream throughout its course.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (as "Afon Hafren")
• Assassin's Creed: Valhalla – River Raids