Nigel Ip

This one’s for the British wartime history nerds.

Opening to the public tomorrow (21 July 2026) is Trent Park House of Secrets, the former stately home of Sir Philip Sassoon and, upon his death in June 1939, would soon become a major site of intelligence operations during Britain’s battle with Germany in WWII.

The ground floor containing a set of state rooms inspired by early Georgian country houses have been decorated with some of its original artworks and furnishings that once belonged to Sassoon. This is the first time they have returned since 1939.

These include portraits of Sassoon and his sister Sybil by Philip de László and John Singer Sargent, respectively, a pair of 18th-century Flemish tapestries, and Chinese wallpapers and lacquer cabinets. Some of the most amusing objects on display associated with him comprise of a gilt-bronze cobra car mascot, originally mounted on his 1930 Rolls Royce Phantom II Coupé, and a visitor album containing – among others – the signature of Charlie Chaplin with a related sketch. There is also a letter by Rex Whistler, who contributed several decorative mural ornaments through the house, most notably in the Blue Room, now containing the cafe.

But the secret of the house lies beyond the faux library bookcase, where a model of the house reveals how it was wired and bugged for intelligence operations when it was requisitioned by the government in September 1939. Visitors can even see a trace of wiring in the floorboards. While the German prisoners of war relaxed around the house, a team of about 40 secret listeners inhabited the basement, surveilling and recording their conversations to aid in the war effort. Some of these were relayed and corroborated with Bletchley Park, which even the listeners themselves were unaware of.

Visitors to the basement will encounter reconstructions of the rooms’ previous functions, including listening rooms, a bomb shelter with a working air raid siren, storerooms, and offices. Audio displays provide historical testimonies of its previous occupants, such as Ernst Lederer, while one room allows you to take on their job as a listener.

This is a delightfully educational experience that is fascinating due in part to the contrasting layers of Trent Park House’s decorative and functional history.

Trent Park House is at Daffodil Crescent, Enfield, EN4 0PS, https://trentparkhouse.org.uk/

Tuesday to Sunday: 10am – 5pm. Closed Mondays.

Adults: £14. Concessions also available.