The large Borough Greens, used for fairs right up to the modern day, are leased by the Longford Estate to Downton Parish Council for a peppercorn rent, for the general benefit of the village.
The Heritage Trail plaque is located on Moulds Bridge, also formerly known as Kingston Bridge, which crosses the Newcourt Carrier (Heritage Trail plaque 7). A cottage with Burgage rights was demolished to accommodate the carrier, but the land retained these rights. A modern replica of the Burgage stone can be seen in the wall at the east of the northern side of the bridge. Land to the east of Moulds Bridge was used as a tan yard during the 18th century.
On the northern side of The Borough, between Moulds Bridge and Gravel Close is a row of shop premises built on the former site of a row of thatched cottages. The bricked up fireplace of one of the cottages - which had been occupied by Fanny Pretty - can be seen in the end wall of 51 The Borough (Cymbeline), to the left of the forecourt of the shops. Number 51 also has a Victorian letter box in its wall and was formerly partly used as a shop belonging to Mr and Mrs Newman, who also ran a café on the site of the modern houses at 49A and 49B The Borough.
Returning to the southern side, 70 (Leicester House) and 72 (The Borough Cafe - which had been Lloyds TSB Bank) had previously been Hill’s chemist shop with photography studios. Medieval coins, tiles and wattle and daub have been uncovered during previous internal works of Leicester House.
The Co-operative Foodstore was rebuilt in the 1960s on the site of a shop previously occupied by Mitchell and Baker’s grain merchants. The access to the car park at the rear was the site of a now demolished cottage.
The Goat (previously The White Horse), together with the adjacent shop, is a Grade II listed building. The first hostel, or inn, in Downton is mentioned in 1503 and this was possibly this building, the earliest parts of which date from the 15th Century. The White Horse was first recorded by name in 1599. Tradition has it that the busts sited within the niches at the first floor of the White Horse are of King John and Queen Isabella. this is now thought unlikely by experts, although King John is believed to have visited his supporter, Bishop Peter de Roches of Winchester, whilst the latter was in Downton, as is an earlier king, Stephen, whose brother, Henry of Blois, was the then bishop.
