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The Great Britain Guide

Cathedrals · South West England

Amesbury Abbey

In or near Larkhill.

♿ Wheelchair accessible4.3 · 8 Google reviews

Amesbury Abbey is a cathedral in the United Kingdom.

St Mary and St Melor, Amesbury, memorial (XV) - geograph.org.uk - 7873657

Basher Eyre — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–2 h
Best time of year
Year-round
  • Family-friendly
  • Wheelchair accessible

Getting there & planning your visit

Amesbury Abbey is located in Wiltshire, South West England, with the postcode SP4 7EU. The site is wheelchair accessible.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

Amesbury Abbey is a cathedral in england south west, United Kingdom — the principal church of its diocese, dating from 901. Cathedrals are seats of bishops in the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, and other Christian denominations across Britain.

Photo gallery

Protected designations

  • Site of Special Scientific Interest: River Avon System SSSI
  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Amesbury Abbey was a Benedictine abbey of women at Amesbury in Wiltshire, England, founded by Queen Ælfthryth in about the year 979 on what may have been the site of an earlier monastery. The abbey was dissolved in 1177 by Henry II, who founded in its place a house of the Order of Fontevraud, known as Amesbury Priory. The name Amesbury Abbey is now used by a nearby Grade I listed country house built in the 1830s, currently a nursing home.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

<div style="float:right;clear:right"> </div> Amesbury was already a sacred place in pagan times, and there are legends that a monastery existed there before the Danish invasions. There may have been an existing cult of St Melor which led Ælfthryth to choose Amesbury. Melor, the son of a leader of Cornouaille and a boy-martyr, was buried at Lanmeur and venerated in Brittany, but a later tradition claims that some of his relics were brought to Amesbury and sold to the abbess. However, the 12th-century life of St Melor says the nunnery at Amesbury was founded before Melor's relics arrived. The cult of St Melor is commemorated in the dedication of the current Amesbury parish church.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
51.1719, -1.7843
District
Wiltshire
Parish
Amesbury
Postcode
SP4 7EU
Parliamentary constituency
East Wiltshire
Established
901

Sources

Other places nearby

Nearby

Amesbury AbbeyFlagship📷 5

Abbeys & priories · South East England

Amesbury Abbey

Amesbury Abbey — former abbey in the United Kingdom.

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Historic churches · South East England

Church of St Mary and St Melor, Amesbury

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Memorials & monuments · South East England

Amesbury War Memorial

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Museums · South East England

Amesbury History Centre

Amesbury History Centre — a museum in england-south-east, United Kingdom.

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Museums · South East England

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Where to eat & stay near Amesbury Abbey

Places to stay

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Hotels · South East England

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Hostels · South East England

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Campsites · South West England

Stonehenge Campsite & Glamping

Stonehenge Campsite & Glamping — a campsite in england south east.

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Caravan parks · South East England

Camping & Caravan Club Salisbury

Camping & Caravan Club Salisbury — a caravan park in england south east.

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Campsites · South West England

Stonehenge Touring Park

Stonehenge Touring Park — a campsite in england south east.

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B&Bs · South East England

Cricket Field House

Cricket Field House — a bed-and-breakfast in england south east.

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Places to eat & drink

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Historic pubs · South West England

Antrobus Arms

Antrobus Arms in England South West, United Kingdom.

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Historic pubs · South West England

The Greyhound Tavern

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Historic pubs · South West England

Malet Arms

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Restaurants · South East England

The Old Castle

The Old Castle — a restaurant in england south east. Cuisine: american. Brand: Harvester.

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Historic pubs · South West England

George and Dragon

George and Dragon in England South West, United Kingdom.

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Amesbury Abbey?
Amesbury Abbey is in South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode SP4 7EU), in the parish of Amesbury.
What is Amesbury Abbey?
Amesbury Abbey is a cathedral in the United Kingdom.
How do I get to Amesbury Abbey?
Drivers can use postcode SP4 7EU.
When was Amesbury Abbey built?
Built or established in 901.
Is Amesbury Abbey a protected site?
Yes — Amesbury Abbey is part of the River Avon System SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Cranborne Chase & West Wiltshire Downs National Landscape (AONB).
How do I get to Amesbury Abbey?
Drivers can navigate to postcode SP4 7EU. It sits within the East Wiltshire parliamentary constituency.