The Fylde & Wyre Antiquarian

Ok here is a bit of info, that i came across while looking into the history of BurnNaze. Re: the name [url]BUTT[/url] i wondered what it meant and why there were so many places around the fylde with that name eg Breedy Butts farm. Butts road and on old maps of Burnnaze just [url]Butts[/url] where Cartmels farm was.

hummm hummm waiting for a picture to load here, Butt it wont !!!

Ahem...make way...coming through...right, won't be a jiffy...



There we go...that's got it sorted. 'Scuse me, I'm off again...(Editor)

Definition. “BUTT”
An archery butts is an area of land given over to archery practise in which one or more artificially constructed mounds of earth and stone were used as a target area. The name originally applied to the dead marks or targets themselves but the earthen platforms on which the targets were placed also became known as butts. The mounds are built of earth and are usually between 2m and 8m in diameter and between 1m and 3m high. They usually occur in pairs and are often situated in level areas in the open countryside on the edges of villages and towns although some survive within settlements. They may also be associated with castles and other military fortifications.
Archery butts can be recognised as field monuments through their earthwork mounds but documentary sources allow the best identification of archery butts, usually through place-names eg. Butt Hills. Positive identification requires fairly intensive survey and close attention to surface topography as archery butts are comparatively small and may be surrounded by trees and shrubs.
Archery butts may be confused with other classes of monuments that have a similar form, for example round barrows (various classes), mill mounds, prospect mounds, pillow mounds, stack stands and moot mounds. Position will be a key identifing feature as archery butts require a flat level range. The classification of a monument as an archery butt relies on the careful examination of the arrangement of the principal components represented and, where possible, the examination of the relevant historical and documentary records.
Specifically excluded from this definition of archery butts are all other kinds of structures or buildings which were also used in hunting and shooting practises, such as rifle butts.
Archery butts are associated with the use and practise of the longbow which was in part responsible for England's military power throughout the medieval period.

Cheers for that John.

It's interesting to note (although not immediately obvious on that particular section of map) that the 'Butts' at Bourne lie on one edge of the tenament strips belonging to our suspected Saxon village -- in the southwest corner in fact -- which, of course, is exactly where you'd expect them to lie if they were used for mediaeval archery practice.

Here's a bit more of the map to illustrate matters:



Note the central Saxon road (now buried) running between the strip fields on either side of the (also buried) village, and the placement of the butts in relation to this.

Hi!
Where does the word 'butt' originate for water butt?

There was a 'Palace Field' on a TT ep ages back
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsi ... _.html#the
They never nailed the reason for the name, although they think it was something to do with the nearby monastery.

Well, castle of course could be a corruption of an earlier name - latin castellium refers to a fortified village, rather that what we now view as a traditional castle. The Welsh Caer even just means town - no purport of any kind of fortification.

Has anything been found up there - the idea of a fortified village is intriguing.

Jayne,



It was where the firemen used to put out their cigarettes.

Or possibly not...

Rob,



I strongly suspect you're right because casstles as we know them didn't appear until the mediaeval period. Saxon 'castles', as you say, were fortified earthworks.



Nothing that's been reported as far as I'm aware. There used to be a farm on Castle Hill, but now it's just ICI land, so that buggers up any chance of finding out.

Very interesting .. I didn't know about the archery butts conection. It is also near to Burtyberry (sometimes spelt Bortyberry) which as far as I can find might be referring to a fortification of some kind .. berry being a corruption of burgh.

hi all . brian on your map is that the central saxon rd that runs parallel to springfield drive ? and also castle hill on the ici estate , is it built on ? cause looking on google earth it looks fairly clear , if im looking in the right place !!! does it sit just to the east ish of red marsh drive ? cheers regards andy

Sorry I don't mean to jump ahead of your blogs but it's on my things to look into further .. will look forward to your blog. That seems a lot for BT .. we have BT vision, Internet and phone and pay £120/month.

£120 a month?!! :shock:

Oooops .. £120/quarter. Made yours look cheap for a minute.

Oxford Etymol suggests it's from Anglo Norman 'but' in turn from Old French 'bout' from Latin 'buttis' and maybe Greek 'buitne' meaning some sort of wine flask. - you did ask!

David Ratledge in his Roman Road survey of Lancashire also drew attention to the field on Castle Hill with a curiously rounded right angled corner, often suggestive of a Roman camp and it fitted in nicely with a continued projection of the road that ended at Puddle House Farm. I think it's actually under the ICI site now? Castle is also from Norman French but does indeed derive from Latin 'castellum',(a diminutive of 'castrum'), specifically meaning fort or fortified place but it could refer to an earthwork or entrenchment around a settlement.

So it is intriguing but not sure we'll ever be able to find out.

Sorry about your BT problems Brian. They put my bill up by 150% last quarter but that's because my missus keeps phoning my daughter's mobile when she's at uni. Now she and her sister are at home my gas and elec bills have rocketed too.