
Operation Hillside | Lifting the Official Secrets Act
From Back When | History Podcast by National Trust
February 11, 2026 · 23 min
About this episode
The episode explores the secret history of Hughenden Manor as a WWII intelligence base.
Behind the grand exterior of Hughenden Manor in Buckinghamshire is a secret history, that lay hidden for decades. A chance encounter between a former British intelligence operative and a volunteer uncovered mysteries from inside a once top-secret headquarters. Discover the story of how in the 1940s Hughenden Manor became a secret base for the Air Ministry to produce target maps for RAF Bomber Command. And helped shape the outcome of WWII. A listener note, a version of this episode first aired on the National Trust Podcast in 2021. Production Host: James Grasby Producer: Sean Douglas Sound editor: Jesus Gomez Discover more Find out more about visiting Hughenden Manor: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-berkshire/hughenden
People in this episode
Host: James Grasby
Topics covered
- World War II
- British intelligence
- Hughenden Manor
- Air Ministry
- target maps
- secret history
Keywords
- Hughenden Manor
- Operation Hillside
- RAF Bomber Command
- British intelligence
- World War II
- target maps
- Air Ministry
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: RAF Bomber Command
Books & works: National Trust Podcast
Places: Hughenden Manor, Buckinghamshire
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