Wanborough Manor

Wanborough Manor is a historic Elizabethan manor house located in Wanborough, Surrey, England, notable for its role during World War II as a training site for secret agents under the Special Operations Executive (SOE). Originally built in the 16th century and expanded in the late 1600s, the manor has hosted significant figures such as Queen Victoria and Otto von Bismarck. During the war, it served as Special Training School 5, where agents underwent rigorous training in espionage techniques, including unarmed combat and sabotage. The manor's grounds still bear evidence of this secretive past, with features like a bullet-riddled wall. Today, a plaque in Wanborough Church honors the agents trained at the manor who lost their lives in service, making it a poignant site for both tourists and researchers interested in military history and espionage.