Amesbury, a small town and a parish in Wilts. The town stands in the valley of the Avon, 4 miles NW of Porton station on the L. & S.W.R., and 7 1/2 N of Salisbury. It was formerly called Ambrosbury, Ambresbury, and Amblesberie; and it probably derived its name from the ancient British chief Ambrosius Aurelius. It dates from a high antiquity, and in the time of King Edgar was the meeting-place of a synod for Settling disputes between the regular and the secular clergy. A densely-wooded hill in its western vicinity bears the name of Vespasian's camp, and is marked by military defences round an area of 39 acres, which are believed to have been first formed by the ancient Britons, and afterwards strengthened and held by the Romans. Stonehenge and Cursus are only 1 1/4 mile beyond this hill, and several other ancient monuments are near. A monastery for 300 monks was founded at the town either by the British Ambrosius or by a contemporary churchman, and this was succeeded, about the year 980, by a Benedictine nunnery, founded by Queen Elfrida, on account of the murder of her son-in-law Edward at Corfe Castle. The nunnery was converted by King Henry II. into a cell to the great convent of Font Everault in Anjou; became the retreat of several royal and noble ladies—particularly Mary, daughter of Edward I., and Eleanor, queen of Henry III.; and rose again to be an independent monastery, one of the richest non-mitred abbeys in England. The ancient abbey is identified with “the holy House of Almesbury" of Tennyson's “Guinevere." A noble mansion now occupies the site of the abbey, and bears its name. This was the seat of the Duke of Queensberry, built by Webb from designs by Inigo Jones, and subsequently improved by the Earl of Burlington; it was also the retreat of the poet Gay, where he wrote the " Beggar's Opera," and it passed in 1824 to Sir Edmond Antrobus, Bart., and was afterwards in great measure rebuilt, and adorned with a Corinthian portico. The parish church belonged originally to the abbey, was restored in 1853, and contains rich features of the Early Pointed style. The town has fallen greatly into decay, but still possesses interest for the sake of the attractions around it, and it has a hotel, a Methodist chapel, and a workhouse. A free grammar school was founded and endowed by John Rose in 1677, and there are other charities for apprenticing lads of the town, &c. A weekly market was formerly held on Friday, but has been discontinued. The immediate environs along the Avon are wooded and charming, while the country beyond is bleak and dreary, but celebrated for coursing. Prime pipe-clay is sometimes found in diggings.
The parish contains also the hamlet of Little or West Amesbury. There is a post, money order, and telegraph office. Acreage, 5936 ; population, 981. The property belongs chiefly to the estate of Amesbury Abbey. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Salisbury; value, £300. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of Windsor.
