Butterton

The peaceful, picturesque Staffordshire village of Butterton overlooks the beautiful Manifold Valley in the Peak District National Park. The lanes of the village are lined with pretty sandstone cottages, and a substantial ford runs through the centre along a cobbled street.

Beautiful Butterton

History

Like many villages in the area, Butterton’s history over centuries was linked with copper and lead mining. There is evidence of extensive mining industry here from at least the 17th Century, at which time the Duke of Devonshire owned the mineral rights to the local copper mines. A number of packhorse routes pass through the region, particularly around nearby Ecton Hill, once used by horses transporting copper out of the area.

Long before mining came to the area, however, and continuing long after it left, there has been a farming tradition in Butterton. The name of the village is likely to have come from Butere Dun, or Butter Hill, indicating the quality of the grazing land for dairy herds. It is still largely a farming landscape now, characterised by rolling pasture land criss-crossed with dry stone walls.

Butterton Today

Butterton is a Doubly Thankful Village, so-called because all the men from the parish returned safely from the First and Second World Wars. It’s the only such village in Staffordshire, and one of only two in the Peak District (the other being Bradbourne).

Butterton today is a peaceful, rural idyll in the most stunning setting. The beautiful church of St Bartholomew’s is a Grade II listed building, built in 1871, its graceful spire dominating the surrounding area. It also has a wonderful country pub, The Black Lion Inn, which serves good food.

The Manifold Way

The village lies very close to the Manifold Way, a converted railway line, originally operated by the North Staffordshire Railway. The line was closed in 1934 and the trail now makes a wonderful 8 mile route for walkers, cyclists and riders through the stunning White Peak countryside.