Place:Buttermere, Wiltshire, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

Buttermere is a small village and civil parish on the eastern boundary of Wiltshire, England, about 4.5 miles (7 km) south of Hungerford and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Marlborough. The village stands above the steep escarpment of Ham Hill, and at 257 metres (843 ft) above sea level it is the highest village in Wiltshire and probably the highest in Wessex.

The parish includes the hamlet of Henley, southwest of Buttermere village and next to the county border with Hampshire. There is a second small place in Wiltshire named Henley.

The manor of Buttermere was recorded in the 9th century, and from the 11th was held by St Swithun's priory, Winchester. Henley's land was probably added to the parish in the 11th century, when it was also held by St Swithun's. The parish was part of Savernake Forest until 1330.

The population of the parish was steady at around 130 for the whole of the 19th century but declined in the 20th, reaching 39 in 1971 despite there being no alterations to the area of the parish during the 20th century.

Research Tips

• Victoria County History - Wiltshire - Vol 16, pp82-88 - Parish: Buttermere. British History Online. University of London.
• From this Ancestry page you can browse the Wiltshire parishes which have parish register transcripts online, quite often from very early dates. However, reading the early ones requires skill and patience. Transcriptions should also be in FamilySearch.
• A further collection of online source references will be found on the county page for Wiltshire.