A picture-postcode village in the quaint Hampshire countryside has an eyebrow-raising rule for residents - they all have to paint their doors the same colour.
Southwick - tucked away in the Hampshire countryside -has been owned and managed by the wealthyThistlethwayte family since the 14th century.
Winston Churchill andDwight D Eisenhower visited the village inearly June 1944 and it was in the library room at the Thistlethwayteancestral home, Southwick House,that the historic decision was made to proceed with the Normandy Landings.
Today, locals enjoy a peaceful life with two pubs, a tea room, a village shop, and a golf course as well but all front doors of homes must be painted red.
Referred to by locals as 'the Squire', landlord Mark Thistlethwayte enjoys a warm welcome in Southwick. Residents often raise a flag with his family crest on it from the village church when he is in town.
Georgina Hinton, a former support worker who lives in the village, said the doors were painted red as 'it was the colour of the car that one of the owners had'.
The idyllic village of Southwick in Hampshire that is owned and managed by the wealthyThistlethwayte family. Homeowners need to paint their front doors red
Southwick House in Portsmouth, the ancestral home of theThistlethwayte family, was acquired by the Ministry of Defence in World War II
Mark's Thistlethwayte's family have owned the 8,000 acre Southwick Estate - which owns the village - for nearly 500 years
Mark Thistlethwayte (pictured) is a wealthy property developer and his company is responsible for Welborne Garden Village
The 63 year old added: 'Anything with that colour door belongs to the family. It gives a nice sense of community.'
The former support worker said the colour was chosen and set in a covenant by a relative of Mr Thistlethwayte.
Describing the squire who manages the properties, she said: 'Well it's great, you're not going to get kicked out.
'He's a good landlord. He always around, we know when he's around because the flag changes.
'I suppose people think it's a bit old fashioned but not really. The houses aren't old-fashioned.'
She added: 'It's peaceful, it's quiet, unlike other places you're here for life. If you speak to other people, they have been here for life.
Elizabeth Brocklehurst, wife of the Vicar of Southwick says MrThistlethwayte is a 'good landlord'
St James's Church in Southwick, Hampshire where a flag with theThistlethwayte's family crest on it is flown regularly
The 600-person former parish mostly shares one landlord - the 'Squire' - who has laid down conditions by which locals must abide by (Pictured: Many of the red front doors in the village)
Southwick is located near Portsmouth and it is one of the few villages in the UK to be owned privately
'I think if you grew up here as a child it would be a lovely place place to grow up.'
Elizabeth Brocklehurst lives in the only Squire-owned house in the village without a red front door.
MrsBrocklehurst, who lives with her husband Simon Brocklehurst who is the vicar of the local church,said: 'I'm very happy living here. We have got a few local groups.
'We know what to expect and we try to look after each other. Families have lived here for generations. We have got all these red front doors.'
One neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, added: 'There's a few rules to follow.
'The estate doesn't want any yellow lines and that's been passed down by generations.
Southwick was first founded by the Augustinian monks in the mid 12th century. In 1539, Henry VIII sold the historic priory and its assets to John Whyte
Locals enjoy a peaceful life with two pubs (one pictured), a tea room, a village shop, and a golf course
'It's kept up with that old world. My family are all from here.'
And another local said: 'It's quite a unique village, it does have that feel to it and just look at it.
'The reason that people want to come and live here is that they know the landlord isn't going to ask for their houses back.
'We are all looked after by the estate. '
Southwick was first founded by the Augustinian monks in the mid 12th century and then in 1539, Henry VIII sold the historic priory and its assets to John Whyte.
The Estate is still owned and managed by the descendants of John Whyte and the current Squire is Mr Thistlethwayte.
An artistic rendering of the completed Welborne Garden Village project
The Welbourne Garden Village project has been in development for decades and building work has now started
Southwick House, a Grade II listed 19th-century manor house on the estate, was requisitioned by the Government during WWII but much of the rest of the original Estate remains intact.
The Georgian mansion that is Southwick House played a pivotal part in history; D-Day was planned there.
The quaint setting, which is the Thistlethwayte's ancestral home, served as a headquarters for top Allied chiefs including Winston Churchill.
Southwick is located near Portsmouth and it is one of the few villages in the UK to be owned privately.
Mr Thistlethwayte's company, Buckland Development is also partly responsible for the Welborne Garden village project.
The 6,000-home scheme will occupy a huge site north of the M27 near Fareham.
The proposals have been the talk of the area for nearly 20 years and gained planning permission in 2021.
