An archery butts is an area of land given over to archery practise in which one or more artificially constructed mounds of earth and stone were used as a target area. The name originally applied to the dead marks or targets themselves but the earthen platforms on which the targets were placed also became known as butts. The mounds are built of earth and are usually between 2m and 8m in diameter and between 1m and 3m high. They usually occur in pairs and are often situated in level areas in the open countryside on the edges of villages and towns although some survive within settlements. They may also be associated with castles and other military fortifications.
Archery butts can be recognised as field monuments through their earthwork mounds but documentary sources allow the best identification of archery butts, usually through place-names eg. Butt Hills. Positive identification requires fairly intensive survey and close attention to surface topography as archery butts are comparatively small and may be surrounded by trees and shrubs. Archery butts may be confused with other classes of monuments that have a similar form, for example round barrows (various classes), mill mounds, prospect mounds, pillow mounds, stack stands and moot mounds. Position will be a key identifing feature as archery butts require a flat level range. The classification of a monument as an archery butt relies on the careful examination of the arrangement of the principal components represented and, where possible, the examination of the relevant historical and documentary records. Specifically excluded from this definition of archery butts are all other kinds of structures or buildings which were also used in hunting and shooting practises, such as rifle butts. Archery butts are associated with the use and practise of the longbow which was in part responsible for England's military power throughout the medieval period.