the original buttercross, a stone structure, was erected in c. 1570 and stood at the centre of the shambles, at the current location of barclays bank. it was used for the sale of meat and dairy products. in 1889, mr e.c. lowndes bought the "buttercross" for £6 and re-erected it as a gazebo in the kitchen garden of the castle combe manor house, where it subsequently fell into disrepair. the buttercross was re-erected in 1995 by the chippenham civic society, funded by many local people and organisations. it currently stands as the centre-piece of the pedestrianised area of the town centre, where a market is held each friday and saturday.