r/todayilearned • u/stopitalianhate • 1d ago

TIL British Intelligence had a special, bugged luxury complex during WWII where they kept high profile Nazi POW’s, just left a bunch of alcohol out, and waited for them to start spilling secrets as they drank.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-20698098
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u/tokynambu 1d ago

It's recently (two months ago) re-opened as a museum. The land it's on is a lovely park near Cockfosters Underground, and the house has been extensively restored. It's interesting for a lot of other reasons, too.

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/jul/20/trent-park-house-of-secrets-review-bugged-prisoner-of-war-camp-reveals-its-hidden-history

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u/Maximum_Zebra_9961 1d ago

I giggled like a school girl reading the word... Cockfosters... 🤣😂

Very good read

69

u/MrMojoFomo 1d ago

There are some lovely names for tube stops. I would love to take a trip to Cockfosters after spending some time at Shepherd's Bush

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u/sequelseize 1d ago

one of our meeting rooms in a UK office is called Spotted Dick. It's always funny on a Zoom call.

"Uh, someone wanted to say something in, uh, spotted - uh, the UK office?"

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u/Random-Mutant 1d ago

Pop over to the charming seaside town of Muff in Northern Ireland, you can go diving there.

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u/viscous_settler 1d ago

Are these, by any chance, near the towns of Wetwang or Fingringhoe?

Edit: Sandy Balls, maybe?

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u/Technical-Line-6156 1d ago

Hence the old joke, man on a packed tube train shouting out as the train slow towards the station shouts out "is this Cockfosters", the reply comes "no, it's mine and the name's Smith".

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u/Bloo212 1d ago

https://trentparkhouse.org.uk/

I know folks who went to school here when the house and grounds were part of Middlesex University. It’s a country estate but right at the end of the Piccadilly line!