Free School, Downton
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In 1679 Sir Joseph Ashe endowed a school and schoolhouse in South Lane (known as Borough House in the late 20th century) and Giles Eyres was granted two fairs, the income from which went to the school. The school there had £100 and profits of the two fairs for the up keep of the school and for the salary of a master. Both founders leaned towards non-conformism and the first master was the Baptist minister of Downton. The school took 12 boys from the borough for not more than three years each. In 1795 the boys had to be tested on the catechism - probably the General Baptist one written by an earlier Downton minister, Benjamin Miller. By the early 19th century the endowment was too small to sustain the school and by 1829 the schoolhouse had become delapidated.
In 1833 it had become an elementary (all age) school and for a time extra boys were educated there at the vicar' expense. In 1840 the school came under the Diocesan Board of Education, losing its ecumenical roots. By the late 1850s there were only 20 pupils taught by the master and although Mary Clarke gave £100 in 1871 to enable the school to be enlarged, the buildings were still inadequate and the funding insufficient. The school closed in 1890 and buildings were sold in 1891. The boys must have been transferred to the British Boys School, which experienced a rise in numbers in the early 1890s. When the new school at Gravel Close was opened in 1896 all boys were then educated there.
In 1833 it had become an elementary (all age) school and for a time extra boys were educated there at the vicar' expense. In 1840 the school came under the Diocesan Board of Education, losing its ecumenical roots. By the late 1850s there were only 20 pupils taught by the master and although Mary Clarke gave £100 in 1871 to enable the school to be enlarged, the buildings were still inadequate and the funding insufficient. The school closed in 1890 and buildings were sold in 1891. The boys must have been transferred to the British Boys School, which experienced a rise in numbers in the early 1890s. When the new school at Gravel Close was opened in 1896 all boys were then educated there.