Geograph - photograph every grid square

The rich pastures on the flat alluvial land give Buttermere its name, relating to dairy farming. Diana Whaley's 2006 book, 'A Dictionary of Lake District Place Names' published by the English Place Name Society states 'Butter lake, the lake with good pasture land' from OE butre 'butter'. She goes on to say ' Buttermere together with Brotherilkeld and Butterwick has been linked in elaborate legend with one Earl Boethar, leader of the Anglo Scandinavian resistance to the Normans under Ranulf Meschin in the late 11th. century (eg. Nicholas Size, The Secret Valley, 1929 and Rosemary Sutcliff The Shield Ring 1956). Although the place name interpretations are incorrect the legend has some basis insofar as it seems that the family of the Scotic ruler, Bueth or Boet held its own against the Norman intruder'.....etc etc. That said I personally as a patriot would like to believe that the lake is named after a British chief who fought the Normans however as the book states this is not the case.