Exploring the Battle of Britain House in Ruislip

I am an urban storyteller : a fan of brutalist and mid-century architecture, a knowledgeable WW2 and Victorian era enthusiast, and I like engaging with abandoned spaces and forgotten history. I am the founder of explorabilia, a travel company that helps people discover the most astonishing, off beat spaces hidden in plain sight around us ! I do chilled out, fun walking tours with like minded people where we can enjoy special locations and exchange views about their history and significance - so don't expect me to give you a history lecture or throw a heavily scripted narrative at you ;-)

Evan Panagopoulos / explorabilia

Discovering the remains of a mansion that served as a top secret training facility for OSS Operatives during World War 2

Mad Bess Wood Car Park

Thank you for booking your space at Exploring the Battle of Britain House in Ruislip. See you soon !

PS Due to the limited spaces for this Event, I kindly request that you release the tickets in case you will be unable to attend.

On a dry summer day in August 1984, a sudden blaze devoured the magnificent mansion that stood in the outskirts of Ruislip Woods for almost 80 years. I invite you to explore the ruins of the house together , 40 years on. We will uncover the early history of the site, its important connections with London's German emigre community, as well as its opulent and colourful past during the Roaring 20's . We will also dive into the secret World War 2 history of the Battle of Britain House, when it was used as a top secret base where the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (the precursor of CIA) trained recruits for insertion into occupied Europe. Last, we will remember the post war heritage of the Battle of Britain House, when it was used as a community arts &amp; crafts college before it was lost to accidental fire and left to be reclaimed by nature.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Your support will help me continue my research into the History of the Battle of Britain House, and will go towards travel and research costs, acquiring materials and collecting artefacts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Meeting Point : Mad Bess Wood Car Park, Ducks Hill Road, Northwood, HA6 2SSMeeting Time : 10am Please note : The walk will last just over 1 hour, and will take us off the beaten path. We might be brushing bushes here and there, and there isn't too much uneven ground. In case you are unsure whether this activity level is right for you, please drop me a message at explore@explorabilia.co.uk ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------COVID 19 : As per government Coronavirus guidelines, the event will be limited to 6 persons. We will practise social distancing (2m) throughout. The use of face masks and gloves is recommended.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Exploring the Battle of Britain House in Ruislip

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Exploring the Battle of Britain House in Ruislip

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