BBC moves out of former stately home they used to spy on the Nazis

The BBC has finally moved out of a former stately home it used to spy on the Nazis as it ploughs ahead with a controversial £20million sale.

Caversham Park estate in Berkshire was bought by the public service broadcaster in 1941 with government money so it could monitor communications from Nazi Germany.

The Beeb used it as its monitoring headquarters for over 70 years but are now selling it after relocating the service to London.

But there have been objections to the sale from some politicians who claim Caversham Park is a ‘national asset’ and is not the BBC’s to sell.

The BBC announced in 2016 it was closing its monitoring service at Caversham Park and relocating it to London, axing about 100 staff in the cost-cutting process.

Most BBC staff left the building for new homes earlier this year and BBC Radio Berkshire were the last staff to leave the site on Tuesday.

The government has previously been urged to put a stop to the sale, claiming the estate belongs to the taxpayer as it was bought by the BBC with public money.

Caversham Park estate in Berkshire was bought by the public service broadcaster in 1941 with government money so it could monitor communications from Nazi Germany

The BBC announced in 2016 it was closing its monitoring service at Caversham Park and relocating it to London, axing about 100 staff in the cost-cutting process

The BBC announced in 2016 it was closing its monitoring service at Caversham Park and relocating it to London, axing about 100 staff in the cost-cutting process

Most BBC staff left the building for new homes earlier this year and BBC Radio Berkshire were the last staff to leave the site on Tuesday

Most BBC staff left the building for new homes earlier this year and BBC Radio Berkshire were the last staff to leave the site on Tuesday

There have been objections to the sale from some politicians who claim Caversham Park is a 'national asset' and is not the BBC's to sell

There have been objections to the sale from some politicians who claim Caversham Park is a ‘national asset’ and is not the BBC’s to sell

The BBC maintain that they are the rightful owners and the stately home is currently under offer through estate agents Lambert Smith Hampton.

It is not known who the potential buyer is or how much they are purchasing the property for but experts have valued the estate at about £20million.

It is also not known what the new owners will do with Caversham Park, although converting it into flats or a luxury hotel are two options.

Rob Wilson, the former MP for Reading East until last year, said he had previously raised concerns with the MoD and the BBC about the sale.

Mr Wilson said: ‘The government has a legal duty to make sure that they are getting value for taxpayers’ money.

‘As far as I know the issue over ownership has not been properly established and in my view that needs to be sorted before any sale goes ahead.

‘The BBC are ploughing ahead because they say there is no issue and they believe they own the property.

‘I think it’s really important that both the government and the BBC make absolutely certain who legally owns the site.

The building has been demolished and rebuilt several times and its gardens were designed by Capability Brown in the 1760s (shown is a drawing of the estate from 1799)

The building has been demolished and rebuilt several times and its gardens were designed by Capability Brown in the 1760s (shown is a drawing of the estate from 1799)

Subject to planning permission, the impressive building could be converted back into one grand home or be redeveloped to become luxury flats, a hotel, retirement home or healthcare facility

Subject to planning permission, the impressive building could be converted back into one grand home or be redeveloped to become luxury flats, a hotel, retirement home or healthcare facility

The BBC bought the grand stately home and its 93 acres of grounds (shown) in 1941 for the World Service but it did so using government money

The BBC bought the grand stately home and its 93 acres of grounds (shown) in 1941 for the World Service but it did so using government money

‘The government has a duty to protect that money and the BBC has a duty to act in good faith.

‘If this issue remains unresolved it could undermine the sale of the property. I would say let the buyer beware.’ 

The BBC bought the grand stately home and its 93 acres of grounds in 1941 for the World Service but it did so using government money.

The monitoring service remained largely funded by the state until 2014 when the BBC took over responsibility for the service and its funding.

Subject to planning permission, the impressive building could be converted back into one grand home or be redeveloped to become luxury flats, a hotel, retirement home or healthcare facility. 

A spokesman for the BBC said that the broadcaster’s name appears on Land Registry documents for the ownership of Caversham Park.

They said: ‘Caversham Park was originally purchased by the BBC in the early 1940s for the use of the World Service.

‘The BBC took on the responsibility for the World Service and its funding in 2014 and is, therefore, entitled to the proceeds of any future sale.’ 

The manor park dating back to the Domesday Book that the BBC used to monitor the world for 74 years

Caversham Park is believed to have been gifted to a relative of William the Conqueror in 1066. It was recorded in the Domesday Book with a value of £20 and has entertained royalty in its 950-year lifetime.

The historic property was leased to Francis Knolly, a member of Henry VIII’s formal bodyguard in 1542. His son William entertained Queen Elizabeth I there in 1601.

The building has been demolished and rebuilt several times and its gardens were designed by Capability Brown in the 1760s.

The current 19th century mansion and park became the Oratory School in 1921 but following fire damage, other financial difficulties and the start of the Second World War, it was bought by the BBC in 1941.

The BBC Monitoring service began at the outbreak of war in 1939 in a set of shacks in Wood Norton, but moved to Caversham Park in 1943.

Staff would transcribe and summarise 240 foreign broadcasts per day into an 80,000-word document called the Daily Digest, which was delivered to London by war despatch drivers.

BBC Monitoring played a key role in tapping communications made by Hellschreiber (a teleprinter) from Nazi Germany’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels to newspaper and radio networks.

The site, outside of London, was chosen in part because it was less likely to suffer bomb damage.

By the end of the war 1,000 people worked at Caversham Park, providing the War Office and BBC journalists with up-to-date information from the Axis news agencies.

After the war it played a major role in the Cold War, monitoring the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Now the service still listens in on radio transmissions from around the world, as well as translating and analysing print journalism in 100 different languages. BBC Radio Berkshire is also based there.

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