in the 1970s. Geography The River Avon flows through Downton. For centuries, villagers maintained reed beds for harvesting materials to make baskets, trays and wicker furniture. The river is the source of occasional flooding in the village. Major flood defence work was carried out in 2002 after a severe flood following heavy rains. The water meadows – fields through which irrigation channels were made using weirs and ditches – use the water from this river. Governance Downton has a fifteen-member parish council with responsibility for local issues, including setting an annual precept (local rate) to cover the council's operating costs and producing annual accounts for public scrutiny. The parish council evaluates local planning applications and works with the local police, Wiltshire Council officers, and neighbourhood watch groups on matters of security, crime, and traffic. The council's role also includes initiating projects for the maintenance and repair of parish facilities, as well as consulting with Wiltshire Council on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of highways, drainage, footpaths, public transport, and street cleaning. Conservation matters (including trees and listed buildings) and environmental issues are also the responsibility of the council. The parish council is divided into two wards: Downton, which elects fourteen councillors, and Charlton-All-Saints, which elects one councillor. Along with the neighbouring parishes of Odstock, Britford and Coombe Bissett, Downton parish is part of the ward of Downton & Ebble Valley in the unitary authority of Wiltshire Council, which has the wider responsibility for providing services such as education, refuse collection, and tourism. The ward is currently represented by Julian Johnson, a member of the Conservative Party. It is also part of the Salisbury parliamentary constituency, represented by John Glen, also a Conservative. From 1295 to 1832, Downton was a parliamentary borough, giving eligible residents the right to elect two MPs to Parliament. Notable MPs include Blessed John Story, an English Roman Catholic martyr, later beatified by Pope Leo XIII; Sir Carew Raleigh, elder brother of Sir Walter Raleigh; Robert 'Bonnie Bobby Shafto', the subject of a popular folk song; and the poet Robert Southey, who was elected without his knowledge and declined to take his seat. Economy Until the 20th century, the primary economic activity of the village had been agriculture and related crafts. For instance, in the early 1900s, craftsmen still maintained reed beds in the river for their materials to make baskets and furniture. Tanning was an important