InDownton Newsletter
The community newsletter for the village of Downton, Wiltshire
Heritage Trail re-vamp
The Downton Heritage Trail was launched in 2008 to inform visitors to the village about its rich and colourful history. It was developed by volunteers in memory of Margaret Peach, who was both a Chairman of the Parish Council and Chairman of the Salisbury District Council. The trail was adopted by the Downton History Group who have been its custodian.
In the last 15 years, many things have changed in the village and the free leaflets have long since run out. Now a small group of volunteers with the blessing of the history group are working on revising the leaflet and enhancing the trail with more signs and putting the trail online with particular strands for children, industrial history, and natural history.
The Parish Council is supporting the plan, and it is hoped to relaunch the trail later this year. Further help and sponsorship is being sought. For more information contact Paul Leo on 513191 or editor@indownton.org.uk or Susan Barnhurst-Davies at susankirsten@btinternet.com.
Did you know?
There are three buildings which were previously schools at one time and now have other uses. These include the British Girls School at the end of The Borough on the path through to Headlands. The area was known as ‘School Rails’. The school building is now a private house, having previously been a chapel and a car workshop (Headlands Garage). The only visible evidence that it was a school are incision marks on the bricks where pupils sharpened their styluses for writing on slates. You need to look carefully to see them.
