Amesbury is a city located in Essex County, Massachusetts. It was first recognized as Salisbury New Town in 1666, and formally separated from the town of Salisbury. It was renamed as Amesbury in 1668, although its borders have changed over time.

Unlike most Colonial settlements, the town had an aggressive maritime and industrial economy, with the earliest industries being mills, shipyards and a heavily-used ferry across the Merrimac River to Newburyport.

It is located in northeastern Massachusetts, bounded by Merrimac on the west, South Hampton, New Hampshire on the north, Salisbury on the east, and Newburyport and West Newbury on the south. Its total area is 13.65 square miles and population is approximately 15,000.