Amesbury

Almesbury, Ambresbury, Aumsbury

Situated in a bend in the River Avon, north of Salisbury, Wiltshire. Amesbury is a small and pleasant market town. Merlin set up the Giants' Dance "which he brought from Ireland" here, at the site that became known as Stonehenge.

According to several sources, such as Sir Thomas Malory, Queen Guenevere came to a nunnery in Amesbury (Amesbury Abbey) when she heard of King Arthur's death. The chronicles suggest that it was named after Ambrosius, though Layamon says that its founder was Ambrius.

In AD 979 the abbey was succeeded by a nunnery that eventually became one of the richest in England, achieving fame as the retreat of Mary, daughter of King Edward I, and her grandmother, Queen Eleanor, King Henry III's widow.