Heatherden Hall
Coordinates: 51°32′46″N 0°32′02″W / 51.546°N 0.534°W
Heatherden Hall is a Grade II-listed, Victorian country house located in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England. It stands in the grounds of Pinewood Studios and is used as offices, film sets, and as a wedding venue.
It was purchased by Lieutenant-Colonel Grant Morden, a Canadian financier, who transformed the mansion by adding a large ballroom and Turkish bath. In 1921, the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which led to the creation of the Irish Free State, was signed at Heatherden Hall. During the 1930s it became a retreat and private meeting place for politicians and diplomats.
When Morden died in 1934, the estate was bought at auction by Charles Boot, who had recently inherited a large construction firm from his father, Henry Boot, who had died in 1931. Within a year Charles Boot had transformed Heatherden Hall into the office building for a new film studio complex that occupied the grounds.
The mansion has two main fronts: one formal three-storey entrance and another that is seen mostly in films. A conservatory was added to the front where the door was once situated, and became known as the Gatsby Suite; however, this was subsequently removed and now forms part of the enlarged outdoor terrace. The grand ballroom runs along the side. Heatherden Hall has extensive grounds with formal gardens and lakes, plants and features. The many trees surrounding the manor served as the inspiration for the name "Pinewood".
The house and gardens have been featured in many British films, including Doctor in the House, The Amazing Mr Blunden, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, From Russia with Love (as the SPECTRE headquarters)[1] and the Carry On films. It has appeared in such television series as One Foot in the Grave and Midsomer Murders.
References
External links
- Heatherden Hall at the Pinewood Group official website