Report - Briggens estate - Hertfordshire - July 24

[Bikin Glynn]

Briggens Estate

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Briggens House is a Grade II listed 18th-century house and parklands in Hertfordshire, the house was first built and owned by Sir Thomas Foster whose descendant sold it to the Crowley family.

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Robert Chester, a director of the South Sea Company bought it in 1706 who made many substantial changes to the house and grounds, commissioning Charles Bridgeman to work on the gardens.
The house was owned by the 4th Baron Aldenham Walter Gibbs the Deputy Chairman of Westminster Bank.
From 1941, Briggens House was used by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) as the main forgery operation to support their secret agents and undercover special forces. When the house was requisitioned by the War Office the family was allowed to stay in residence which was very rare in cases such as this.

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The house was requisitioned to train elite fighting troops known as the Cichociemni, (Silent and Unseen) selected from the Polish Home Army that had escaped to Britain. They trained in hand to hand combat, sabotage, and subversive activities, etc

SOE – Station XIV - False Document Section​

This section was begun by three Polish forgers in the cellar of Briggens House, and quickly expanded when SOE obtained Britain’s most experienced printers, engravers and artists. This unique group was recruited and led by Commanding Officer Captain Morton Grainger Bisset, a highly specialised printer, to provide a multitude of forged documents to enable agents with false identities to operate in occupied countries without being captured.
The passports, identity cards, work permits, ration books and driving licences needed to be perfect to fool the Nazi SS.

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In 1979 the house was converted into a hotel and conference centre with a separate golf club occupying the parkland.
The hotel closed its doors In 2006.

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In 2010 it reopened as a wedding venue but this did not have planning permission and was immediately closed down!

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Thanks For looking

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[Calamity Jane]

What a great history. Lovely artistic shots too. They would make great paintings

 

[Bikin Glynn]

What a great history. Lovely artistic shots too. They would make great paintings

Thanks as always CJ

 

[NamelessNoah]

love this one - always fascinated by old country houses. interesting to see how some rooms have decayed more than others

 

[Bikin Glynn]

love this one - always fascinated by old country houses. interesting to see how some rooms have decayed more than others

yh it struck me that parts were near perfect condition & parts severely deteriated.
Its often the case with buildings of this size but is a shame as once its started its much harder to restore.

 

[Mikeymutt]

Nice report, can't remember ever seeing this one before, but can see a few reports about it now.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Nice report, can't remember ever seeing this one before, but can see a few reports about it now.

Thanks mate yh its been about a bit

 

[HughieD]

Maaan. That place is a cocker. Gonna pass on the mushroom soup though.