Madbury is a town located in Southeastern New Hampshire in the Seacoast region of the state. The town is situated in Southern Strafford County and encompasses a total area of 12.2 square miles, 11.7 of which is land. As of the 2010 United States Census, the total population for Lee was 1,771.
Originally a part of nearby Dover, Madbury was first called Barbadoes, named after the West Indies island of the same name. It later became a part of Durham and served as the farm of Sir Francis Champernowne, whose family mansion in England was called “Modbury.” In a 1755 grant by Governor Benning Wentworth, the area was referred to as Madbury Parish and, in 1768, Governor John Wentworth granted Madbury full town privileges. It was officially incorporated in 1775.
Madbury contains parts of a number of bodies of water, including Little Bay, Oyster River, Bellamy River, Bellamy Reservoir and Mallego Brook. The town’s highest point is located at Hicks Hill, where elevation reaches 331 feet above sea level. The town is shaped like a wedge, and its neighbors include Durham, Barrington and Dover.
The town of Madbury is governed by an elected Board of Selectmen. The town has a part-time police department and a part-time and volunteer fire department. Emergency medical services are provided by the nearby town of Durham. Top employers in the area include Taylor Egg Products, University of NH Kingman Farm, R & L Engines, Schnitzer Northeast and Moharimet Elementary School.
Children in Madbury attend schools in the Oyster River School District, which also serves the nearby towns of Durham and Lee. The district includes one preschool program, two elementary schools, one middle school and one high school; the only school located in Madbury is Moharimet Elementary School. For recreation and entertainment, Madbury residents can take advantage of the town’s public library, municipal parks, tennis courts, youth organizations and sports leagues, campgrounds, bicycle trails, marinas and more.