A fairytale village in the UK has banned TV aerials, power lines or satellite dishes in a bid to protect its postcard aesthetic.
Downham in Lancashire, owned by the Assheton family, has been left so frozen in time that even electricity cables are discreetly threaded underneath the unmarked roads.
The village, under the ownership of the same ancestral family for the last 500 years, is often hailed as the most beautiful village in Lancashire.
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It is the family's policy to rent local cottages to people who want to be a part of the community, to ensure no second homebuyers leave properties vacant for much of the year, reports Manchester Evening News.
Local mum-of-two Michelle Brown, who runs the ice cream shop, said: “It’s so unspoilt here, there’s not many villages like this. If you took all the cars away you’d half expect to see a horse and trap on the streets.
“It’s just a lovely little village and we get lots of visitors here who say it’s so beautiful, yet you’ve got a bustling town like Clitheroe less than ten minutes away.”
The village’s commitment to preservation had made it a hotspot for period dramas over the years.
Suranne Jones recently filmed in the hamlet for the BBC’s spooky thriller The Secret of Crickley Hall, with many scenes shot at the village pub The Assheton Arms.
The 1961 movie Whistle Down The Wind starring Hayley Mills was filmed in the village.
The Downham ice cream shop still sells memorabilia linked to the film, including chocolate bars wrapped in famous scenes.
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But an Assheton family spokeswoman previously said that the village has one foot firmly in the present, and one eye on the future.
They told the Manchester Evening News last year: “Downham may look preserved in aspic, but it is a vibrant and thriving community supporting a range of businesses.
"One example is the transformation of Brookside Barn in the village into office accommodation and, nearby, the eco-friendly Bowland Bioenergy, which supplies sustainable wood fuel products for biomass heating.
“The Estate today is grappling with how to achieve as low a carbon footprint as possible and the current challenge is to upgrade very old and listed properties while avoiding damage and ugly alterations.”
The historic charm of the village brings visitors in their droves in the summer months to explore the beautiful countryside and meandering roads around the village, with a free car park and small visitor centre accessed by a cobbled lane.
Although the Downham village website warns that coach trips need to be booked in advance due to the limited access on the roads.
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