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A remarkable new museum is preparing to open in Enfield this summer, bringing to light one of Britain's most fascinating and least-known wartime stories.
Trent Park House of Secrets will officially open its doors on 21 July 2026, inviting visitors to explore a historic house that played a significant role in Britain's intelligence operations during the Second World War. Located within the beautiful grounds of Trent Country Park, the museum tells two extraordinary stories under one roof – the glamorous world of high society in the 1920s and 1930s, and the secret world of wartime espionage that helped shape the outcome of WWII.
Before the outbreak of war, Trent Park was home to Sir Philip Sassoon, politician, art collector and one of Britain's most influential social hosts.
The grand house welcomed an impressive guest list including Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin, Fred Astaire and members of the Royal Family. Visitors to the museum will be able to step back into this elegant era and discover the people who helped shape British society between the wars.
What many people don't realise is that beneath the elegant rooms lies a hidden wartime story.
During the Second World War, Trent Park became a secret intelligence centre where captured senior German officers were housed and unknowingly monitored.
Hidden microphones were installed throughout the house, allowing British Intelligence to listen to conversations that revealed valuable military information. Working behind the scenes were a team of German-speaking Jewish refugees known as the "Secret Listeners", who secretly recorded and transcribed conversations that helped the Allied war effort.
The intelligence gathered at Trent Park provided unique insights into German military thinking and has been described by historians as one of Britain's most significant wartime intelligence operations.
The opening of Trent Park House of Secrets represents a major addition to Enfield's cultural and heritage offer.
Alongside the museum, visitors will find:
The attraction offers something for local residents, history enthusiasts, school groups and visitors from across London and beyond.
For many local residents, Trent Park is already a much-loved destination for walks, nature and family outings.
The opening of Trent Park House of Secrets adds another reason to visit and provides an opportunity to discover a nationally important piece of history that has remained hidden for decades.
It's rare for a museum of this significance to open in our borough, making this an exciting moment for Enfield and North London.
📍 Trent Park House of Secrets, Trent Country Park, Enfield
📅 Opening Date: 21 July 2026
🕙 Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm
🚇 Nearest Tube: Oakwood Station (Piccadilly Line)
☕ The café is already open to visitors ahead of the museum launch.
Advance booking is expected to open in early July.
For more information visit: www.trentparkhouse.org.uk
Historic Trent Park House welcomes visitors inside for the first time as its new café opens ahead of the museum's official launch later this summer.
Local residents will soon have the opportunity to step inside one of Enfield's most fascinating historic buildings as Trent Park House of Secrets opens its brand-new café on Sunday 14th June.
The café, operated by local favorites Blends & Beyond, will give visitors an early glimpse of the beautifully restored Trent Park House before the full museum opens later this summer. Situated within the historic Blue Room, complete with its stunning restored Rex Whistler murals, the café will offer coffee, cake, light lunches and a chance to experience a remarkable part of Enfield's heritage.
The official opening will take place at 11am with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by museum trustees and special guests, marking another important milestone in the transformation of Trent Park House into a major visitor attraction for the borough.
The opening of the café marks the first opportunity for local residents and visitors to step inside the newly restored Trent Park House before the museum officially opens later this summer.
Located within the historic Blue Room, the café will be operated by local independent business Blends & Beyond, a familiar name to many residents thanks to their popular café at Oakwood Station. Following a competitive selection process, they were chosen to help create a welcoming space that reflects both the history of the building and its role within the local community.
Visitors will be able to enjoy coffee, cake, light lunches and refreshments while taking in one of the most impressive rooms in the house. The Blue Room features beautifully restored 1930s murals by renowned artist Rex Whistler and was once a favourite painting spot of Sir Winston Churchill.
The café forms part of a much bigger story. Trent Park House is one of Enfield's most remarkable historic buildings and has undergone a decade-long programme of fundraising, restoration and conservation work to bring it back to life.
Many residents will already be familiar with Trent Park's wartime history. During the Second World War, the house became home to the famous 'Secret Listeners' operation, where senior German prisoners of war were housed while British intelligence officers secretly monitored their conversations through hidden microphones placed throughout the building. Information gathered at Trent Park contributed to some of the most significant intelligence breakthroughs of the war.
When the museum opens later this summer, visitors will be able to explore both sides of Trent Park House's fascinating history. The restored state rooms will showcase the glamour and social life of Sir Philip Sassoon's era during the 1920s and 1930s, while the basement will reveal the extraordinary espionage operation that remained hidden for decades.
For now, however, the café offers an exciting first glimpse inside the house and a chance for local residents to experience this important part of Enfield's heritage before the museum officially opens its doors.
The official opening ceremony will take place on Sunday 14 June at 11am, with the café then opening regularly from Tuesday to Sunday between 9am and 5pm.
Trent Park House of Secrets, Daffodil Crescent, Enfield, London WN4 0NS
The museum opens later in Summer 2026 and will be spread over two floors of Trent Park House, with a café, gift shop and Clore Learning Space on site. The nearest Underground stations are Cockfosters and Oakwood, both on the Piccadilly line.
Further information and booking details will be available shortly at https://trentparkhouse.org.uk
Date written - 01-06-2026
