Ecton Hill, near Butterton, is embedded with the remains of copper and lead mining. It was first used extensively in the mid 17th century; however, there is evidence that mining of the area took place centuries earlier. As a result of the history of mining, there are numerous packhorse routes around Butterton and Ecton Hill which were used to transport copper and lead ore from Ecton to smelting works. In 1881, the main employment was agriculture, with 51 out of 124 inhabitants in this sector (all males). The main employment for women was domestic service.