During the Second World War, thousands of sites across Britain were requisitioned to support the war efforts.

Additionally countless others were built from scratch regardless of cost.

Often the purpose of these locations was concealed even from those living close by. The author of Secret Wartime Britain has compiled a fascinating collection of examples that still exist today, albeit often in different usage.

They include underground factories, storage sites and headquarters; spy and communication centres; interrogation and POW camps; dummy sites; research facilities such as sinister Porton Down; treasure stores in stately homes and even royal retreats in the event of invasion such as Madresfield Court. Where were these sites and why were they needed? How successfully were they kept secret? What has happened to them since? Were they returned to their owners? Answers to these and other questions make Secret Wartime Britain a riveting and revealing read.