AMESBURY, a market town, Wiltshire, England, lying in the rich and well-wooded valley of the Avon, amid the chalk downs of Salisbury Plain, 8 m. N. of Salisbury; population of rural dis trict (1931) 16,883. The neighbourhood is very rich in remains of prehistoric man, among which Stonehenge (q.v.), 12 m. is the greatest surviving megalithic structure in the British Isles. On a hill overlooking the village is a large earthwork, "the Ram parts," which perhaps marks a preceding settlement. At Ames bury (Ambresberia, Aumbresbery) a witenagemot was held in 932, while (c. 98o) Ethelfrida, queen dowager of Edgar, erected here a nunnery in expiation of the murder of her stepson. At the time of Domesday Amesbury was a royal manor. From the 12th century the nunnery was attached to the abbey of Fontev rault, and was enriched by royal charters and private gifts. The grant of a weekly market and fair dates from 1317. The church of St. Mary is largely Early English, with some richly decorated windows. Amesbury abbey, built by Inigo Jones for the dukes of Queensberry, stands close to the village.
Pipeclay abounds in the neighbourhood, and in the 17th century Amesbury was famous for its pipes. Its interests are now largely agricultural, frequent sheep fairs being held. The town profits from the permanent army camps in the vicinity (partic ularly from Larkhill) and from the tourist traffic visiting Stone henge and other objects of interest on the plain. Amesbury is served by a branch railway, running to the camp at Bulford, joining the S.R. between Andover and Salisbury.