Butleigh

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 51.0987
longitude= -2.6777
official_name= Butleigh
civil_parish=
population = 1,000
shire_district= Mendip
shire_county = Somerset
region= South West England
constituency_westminster= Wells
post_town= GLASTONBURY
postcode_district = BA6
postcode_area= BA
dial_code= 01458
os_grid_reference= ST525335

Butleigh is a small village and civil parish, located in Somerset. The nearest village to it is Barton St David, and it is located a short distance from Glastonbury and Street. Its population is approximately 1,000, and is home to a church, small village shop and a Church of England school, Butleigh School [http://www.butleighprimary.ik.org] and Butleigh Nursery School.

Butleigh Court, which was abandoned for many years and has now been brought back into use, is noted for its interesting architecture including the tall carved chimney stacks, which are all different. Local legend has it that the family was cursed to die out within a hundred years, which subsequently happened. Another interesting landmark is the cedar avenue, just outside the village. It was built in 1845 by J. C. Buckler, for Henry Neville-Grenville, on the site of an earlier building. [cite web | title= Butleigh Court | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=267748 | accessdate=2007-10-24]

The village history is told in a slim book, Butleigh - One thousand years of an English Village, by E F Synge, former vicar at the parish church. A reconstruction of life of one farm worker, John Hodges, who lived in the village during the Victorian era is illustrated at the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury.

The Church of St. Leonard dates from the 14th century, and was restored and extended in the mid 19th century by J. C. Buckler. It has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II* listed building. [cite web | title= Church of St. Leonard | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=267722 | accessdate=2007-10-24]

There is the lofty column of the Admiral Hood Monument raised to the memory of Sir Samuel Hood on a hill near Butleigh and in Butleigh Church is another memorial, [cite web | title= Hood family monument | work=Images of England | url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/search/details.aspx?id=267723 | accessdate=2007-10-24] with an inscription written by Robert Southey.

There is also a 16th century pub in Butleigh called The Rose and Portcullis.

References