Amesbury
This article describes the town in England, for other meanings see Amesbury (disambiguation).
51.175-1.77916666667Coordinates: 51° 11′ N, 1° 47′ W
Amesbury is a town in Wiltshire, England, about 13 km north of Salisbury near Stonehenge. The town of Amesbury was founded in 979 AD. However, the place was already settled earlier, as a monastery already existed at its place. Today the town belongs to the Unitary Authority Wiltshire. To the south-east of the town is Boscombe Down military airfield.
The site is referred to as "Ambersbury" on 17th century maps. It is now thought to have been named after Ambrosius Aurelianus, the leader of the Romano-British resistance to the Saxon invasion in the 5th century. Amesbury is also associated with the Arthurian legend: the monastery where Guinevere retreated is said to have been the one in Amesbury.
About a kilometre and a half to the west of the town is a hill fort from the Iron Age, overgrown and hidden by bushes. This is known locally as Vespasian's Camp (named after the Roman general and later emperor who is said to have been active in this part of the island). No excavations of this site have ever taken place.
In 2002, the most magnificent Copper Age burial site in the British Isles was discovered in Amesbury. The remains of two men of obvious high status had been buried there in two places along with over 100 grave goods such as arrowheads, copper daggers and gold earrings. The body in the more opulently furnished tomb of both became known as the Amesbury Archer ("Archer of Amesbury").
On the Blick Mead estate near the town there is a pond containing the algae species Hildebrandia rivularis. This turns pink when it dries in the air. Archaeologist David Jacques discovered many flints and slates not found in the area in the pond sediment, which must have been deliberately deposited there. He concludes that Neolithic people were fascinated by the coloration caused by the algae coating and sees a connection with the significance of Stonehenge.
Questions and Answers
Q: What is Amesbury?
A: Amesbury is a town and civil parish located in Wiltshire, England.
Q: What is the most famous landmark in Amesbury?
A: The most famous landmark in Amesbury is the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is located in its parish.
Q: Who is the Amesbury Archer?
A: The Amesbury Archer is an early Bronze Age man who was buried in Amesbury and whose grave was discovered during excavations at the site of a new housing development in 2002.
Q: When was Amesbury first settled?
A: Archaeologists have confirmed that Amesbury is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United Kingdom, having been first settled around 8820 BC.
Q: What was discovered during excavations at the site of a new housing development in Amesbury in 2002?
A: The grave of the Amesbury Archer, an early Bronze Age man, was discovered during excavations at the site of a new housing development in Amesbury in 2002.
Q: What is the significance of Amesbury being the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United Kingdom?
A: The significance of Amesbury being the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United Kingdom is that it has been home to humans for over 10,000 years.
Q: Why is Amesbury famous?
A: Amesbury is famous for being the location of Stonehenge and the discovery of the grave of the Amesbury Archer.
