On the nearby coast, Freiston Shore, is a wildlife reserve covering approximately 1,400 acres (570 ha) of brackish lagoon, and a natural and reconstituted salt marsh.

[citation needed] The name comes from the Old English "butere" and "wic" meaning a meeting place, or a butter specialised farm.

[3] Ordnance survey maps from the 1920s show an agricultural tramway network running west from the village in a u-shape to Butterwick Grange.

Such tramways often used WW1 narrow gauge trench railway equipment to allow year around access to soft fenland fields.

[citation needed] The village also has a public house (The Five Bells), a Church of England primary school, fish and chip shop, park, and small businesses.