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A new museum, Trent Park House of Secrets, opened in north London this summer.
The former stately home in Enfield witnessed some of the most important events of the 20th century. In the 1920s, Trent Park was the home of Sir Philip Sassoon, one of the wealthiest men in England, and hosted the future Edward VIII and Winston Churchill, as well as artists, writers, and entertainers including Charlie Chaplin, T E Lawrence, and Fred Astaire.
On Sassoon’s death in 1939, the house was requisitioned by the government as a centre for intelligence operations and played a vital role during WWII. Senior German officers, including 59 generals, were held here in luxurious conditions, surrounded by a complex network of miniature bugging devices hidden everywhere from walls, skirtings, and light fittings to plant pots, garden benches, and even the billiard table. Beneath these state rooms was a concealed basement where teams of ‘Secret Listeners’ recorded conversations between the captured officers. The information they recovered gave the Allies a critical advantage in the intelligence war against Germany.
The new museum brings these two elements of the house’s history together. On the ground floor, state rooms have been restored to their 1930s appearance, while in the basement visitors can see the listening stations and offices of the Secret Listeners at work.
For full details, see http://www.trentparkhouse.org.uk.
Text: Amy Brunskill
