Westbury

Westbury is a toponym used for several places in the United Kingdom and North America. The name is of Old English origin, combining elements meaning “west” and “fortified place” or “town,” and has been applied to multiple settlements over time.

The most prominent Westbury in England is Westbury, Wiltshire, a market town on the edge of Salisbury Plain. It has a long history as a medieval settlement and local trading center, with architecture spanning the Georgian to Victorian periods. The town is also known for the Westbury White Horse, a large chalk hill figure on the nearby downs that has been visible for centuries. Westbury in Wiltshire is served by a railway station on the Great Western Main Line, linking it to Bath, Bristol, and London.

Other English places bearing the name include Westbury-sub-Mendip, a village in Somerset near the Mendip Hills, and Westbury-on-Severn, a village in Gloucestershire alongside the River Severn. Both are rural communities with historic churches and local parish histories.

In the United States, Westbury refers to a village in Nassau County, New York, within the town of North Hempstead on Long Island. It features a village center, residential neighborhoods, and a Long Island Rail Road station, reflecting its development as a suburban community.

The name Westbury is sometimes used in other contexts as well, but in contemporary usage it most commonly denotes these towns and villages, each with its own local history and cultural character.