The house was built in 1800 in the late Georgian style, to replace Southwick Park house. The three-storey house is distinct for its two-storey foyer lit from a cupola, and a series of elliptical rooms. A semi-circular portico is centered on the house's colonnade of paired Ionic columns.[1]
World War II
The house became important during World War II. In 1940, the estate owners allowed the Royal Navy to use the house to accommodate overnight pupils of the Royal Navy School of Navigation, HMS Dryad, which was based in Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. In 1941, after heavy bombing of the dockyard, the house was requisitioned and became the new home of HMS Dryad.[2]
In 1943, with the planning for D-Day already underway, the house was chosen to be the location of the advance or forward command post (Sharpener Camp) of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. Because of this, HMS Dryad was moved out of the house onto further land requisitioned from the estate.[2]
D-day preparation
D-Day map in map room, 2019, with markers for positions of forces at the 6 June 1944 landings
Drawing showing map room in operation, 1944
In 1944, in the months leading up to D-Day, the house became the headquarters of the main allied commanders, including Allied Supreme Commander General Eisenhower, Naval Commander-in-Chief Admiral Ramsay and Army Commander-in-Chief General Montgomery.[3]
The large wall maps that were used on D-Day are still in place in the house in the main map room.[4]
Area of the map showing D-day departure routes from the south coast of England; Isle of Wight in centre
Area of the map showing arrival routes at the Normandy beaches around Arromanches
Former US president Eisenhower (right) re-visited the map room in 1963, and was interviewed by Walter Cronkite
After HMS Dryad
In 2004 the functions of HMS Dryad were transferred to HMS Collingwood in Fareham and the site reverted to its original name of Southwick Park.[5]
Beevor, Antony; D-Day: The Battle for Normandy, Viking Publications, ISBN978-0-670-88703-3
External links
High resolution Gigapixel image of the Southwick House D-Day map
The D-Day Story – information about visiting Southwick House
O'Connor, Jerome M. "Southwick House – Where D-Day Began". historyarticles.com.
Royal Military Police Museum
April 27, 2023
southwick, house, grade, listed, 19th, century, manor, house, southwick, estate, hampshire, england, about, miles, north, portsmouth, home, defence, school, policing, guarding, related, military, police, capabilities, showing, colonnadegeneral, informationarch. Southwick House is a Grade II listed 19th century manor house of the Southwick Estate in Hampshire England about 5 miles 8 km north of Portsmouth It is home to the Defence School of Policing and Guarding and related military police capabilities Southwick HouseSouthwick House showing the colonnadeGeneral informationArchitectural styleGeorgian styleTown or cityHampshireCountryEnglandCoordinates50 52 29 N 1 06 07 W 50 8748 N 1 1019 W 50 8748 1 1019 Coordinates 50 52 29 N 1 06 07 W 50 8748 N 1 1019 W 50 8748 1 1019Completed1800Technical detailsFloor count3Listed Building Grade IIOfficial nameHMS Dryad Southwick House Designated24 September 1987Reference no 1096247 Contents 1 History 1 1 Early history 1 2 World War II 1 3 D day preparation 1 4 After HMS Dryad 2 Listings 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory EditEarly history Edit The house was built in 1800 in the late Georgian style to replace Southwick Park house The three storey house is distinct for its two storey foyer lit from a cupola and a series of elliptical rooms A semi circular portico is centered on the house s colonnade of paired Ionic columns 1 World War II Edit The house became important during World War II In 1940 the estate owners allowed the Royal Navy to use the house to accommodate overnight pupils of the Royal Navy School of Navigation HMS Dryad which was based in Portsmouth Naval Dockyard In 1941 after heavy bombing of the dockyard the house was requisitioned and became the new home of HMS Dryad 2 In 1943 with the planning for D Day already underway the house was chosen to be the location of the advance or forward command post Sharpener Camp of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force Because of this HMS Dryad was moved out of the house onto further land requisitioned from the estate 2 D day preparation Edit D Day map in map room 2019 with markers for positions of forces at the 6 June 1944 landings Drawing showing map room in operation 1944 In 1944 in the months leading up to D Day the house became the headquarters of the main allied commanders including Allied Supreme Commander General Eisenhower Naval Commander in Chief Admiral Ramsay and Army Commander in Chief General Montgomery 3 The large wall maps that were used on D Day are still in place in the house in the main map room 4 Area of the map showing D day departure routes from the south coast of England Isle of Wight in centre Area of the map showing arrival routes at the Normandy beaches around Arromanches Former US president Eisenhower right re visited the map room in 1963 and was interviewed by Walter Cronkite After HMS Dryad Edit In 2004 the functions of HMS Dryad were transferred to HMS Collingwood in Fareham and the site reverted to its original name of Southwick Park 5 Since 2005 it has been home to the tri Service Defence School of Policing and Guarding formerly the Defence College of Policing and Guarding 6 Listings EditIn 1987 the house was recorded as Grade II listed on the National Heritage List for England 7 The following year the detached clock tower a three stage Italianate structure with a slate roof was also Grade II listed 1 References Edit a b Historic England 19 May 1988 Clock Tower at HMS Dryad Southwick House Grade II 1096185 National Heritage List for England a b H M S Dryad Hansard 14 May 1962 Retrieved 7 December 2019 Beevor p 1 Wall Map Retrieved 9 July 2016 Maritime Warfare School Royal Navy Retrieved 9 July 2016 Family fights homes plan for Southwick Park estate BBC 13 September 2016 Retrieved 7 December 2019 Historic England 24 September 1987 HMS Dryad Southwick House Grade II 1096247 National Heritage List for England Bibliography EditBeevor Antony D Day The Battle for Normandy Viking Publications ISBN 978 0 670 88703 3External links EditHigh resolution Gigapixel image of the Southwick House D Day map The D Day Story information about visiting Southwick House O Connor Jerome M Southwick House Where D Day Began historyarticles com Royal Military Police Museum Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southwick House amp oldid 1137060461, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
