There are a number of listed buildings in the village including the parish church of St Luke, built in 1874-75 and designed by Benjamin Ferrey, and Burton Hall, a large 18th-century residence with grade II* status.

[1][2] Sitting on a gravel terrace above the Avon Valley flood plain, Burton village is a linear settlement along the historic route from Christchurch to Ringwood and Salisbury.

The earliest mention of the name occurs in the twelfth century but it is likely that prior to this, official records included it as part of the lands of Twynham or Christchurch as it was later known.

[2] It is thought that the obstacle of the flood plain led to the development of an alternative route north on which fringe settlements like Burton and Winkton grew.

[8][5] The oldest buildings in the village date back to at least the early 18th century but Burton was greatly expanded in the 1970s and 1980s and today there are more than 1700 dwellings and a population of nearly 4000.

The remaining 28.3% are classified as economically inactive and incorporate the 17.7% who are retired, the 3.3% who are students over the age of 16, 3.5% who are carers, 2.6% who are long-term sick or disabled, and 1.1% who fall into another category.

[8] The services are jointly hosted by the two local churches of St Lukes and Burton United Reformed, both situated on the green.

Other local amenities include two general stores, one with a post office, four public houses, a doctors surgery and a youth centre.

[8][1] There are a number of listed buildings in the village including the parish church of St Luke, built in 1874-75 and designed by Benjamin Ferrey.

Very little is known about the truncated stone obelisk that stands at the southern extremity of the village but one suggestion is that it was a boundary marker between the tithings of Christchurch and Burton.

Burton is part of the Christchurch parliamentary constituency for elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, currently represented by Conservative MP Christopher Chope.