Butterton

Butterton township probably began in Saxon Times when the Lyme Forest covered the area. The name at that time was Buttereton or Botertun meaning “butter farmstead”. There are still two dairy farms in the village today.

Butterton Old HallIn about 1540, the Swinnerton family acquired the land and built the old Hall, the remnants of which can be seen off the south side of Park Road. At that time, the core of the village was in this area, while another hamlet, Millstone Green, developed later off the Shrewsbury to Newcastle turnpike road. The footpath next to Park Lodge running through the field to a cattle bridge/footpath over the M6 follows a line close to the old road. The bridge is referred to by the locals as the “Rainbow Bridge”.

In the 19th Century, the estate passed by marriage to the Pilkington family who built a new Hall, St Thomas’ Church and a school. Sadly the new Hall never became their family home and after a history of short tenancies, it was requisitioned by the army in the First World War. Dry rot was found in 1921 and the Hall was demolished with much of its stone being used to build a private house on the Westlands (now Newcastle Golf Club House).

The school had two classrooms and served a large area; at times over sixty children were on the roll. It closed in 1969 when a new school was built in Baldwin’s Gate.

When the church opened in 1845, the only carriage access was from the new Hall on the east side. Millstone Green villagers had a footpath access across the fields. This was converted into a single track driveway in 1940. About this time the name Millstone Green fell into disuse in favour of Butterton as it is known today.