Mansion on English country estate where the Allies plotted to assassinate Adolf Hitler’s henchman SS General Reinhard Heydrich goes on sale for £1.5m

  • Rooftops is located on the Moreton Paddox estate in Warwickshire where 4,000 Czech soldiers were in WWII 
  • They fled their homeland where General Heydrich, mastermind of ‘the final solution’ had been installed
  • Plot to kill him involved two Czech soldiers who parachuted into Prague in May 1942 before they attacked 

A luxury house on an English country estate where the Allies plotted the infamous assassination of one of Adolf Hitler’s top henchmen has gone on the market.

Rooftops, a Norwegian-style chalet, is located on the Moreton Paddox estate in Warwickshire where 4,000 Czech soldiers were billeted during the Second World War.

They had fled their homeland where Nazi SS General Reinhard Heydrich, a mastermind of ‘the final solution’, had been installed as ruler of German-occupied Czechoslovakia.

The plot to kill him involved two Czech soldiers who parachuted into Prague in May 1942 before they attacked and killed Heydrich as he was driven to work.

Rooftops, a luxury house on an English country estate where the Allies plotted the infamous assassination of one of Adolf Hitler’s top henchmen has gone on the market for £1.5million

The opulent house boasts open spaces and large windows to let in lots of light. Pictured is one of the living rooms in the property 

The house, a Norwegian-style chalet, is located on the Moreton Paddox estate in Warwickshire where 4,000 Czech soldiers were billeted during the Second World Wa 

His death led to appalling Nazi reprisals on locals, with more than 1,300 men, women and children massacred.

The daring operation was later immortalised in the 1975 film Operation Daybreak starring British actor Martin Shaw.

Moreton Paddox Hall, the Edwardian mansion that was requisitioned for the war effort, was demolished in the 1950s.

Feared SS General Reinhard Heydrich was known as the ‘Man with the Iron Heart’ by Hitler. In a telegram he ordered the immediate arrest of as many Jews as possible and the next day, 20,000 were sent to concentration camps

The original property at Moreton Paddocks was demolished in 1959. Nowadays, Moreton Paddox incorporates some of the original ancillary buildings and garden of the hall


The plot to kill Heydrich involved two Czech soldiers who parachuted into Prague in May 1942 before they attacked and killed Heydrich as he was driven to work. Pictured is the airy and modern kitchen and a spacious reception area

Moreton Paddox Hall, the Edwardian mansion that was requisitioned for the war effort, was demolished in the 1950s and eighteen large homes were then built on the grounds. Pictured is the kitchen

Eighteen large homes were built on the grounds, with Rooftops being one of the biggest.

It was bought in 2005 by William and Carol Smith who spent 14 months redesigning the five bedroom property.

The decided to make the most of the stunning countryside views by putting the reception rooms on the first floor and installing large windows throughout.

The bedrooms are on the ground level including a luxurious master suite that has a dressing room and walk-in walk-out shower.

Eighteen large homes were built on the grounds, with Rooftops being one of the biggest. It was bought in 2005 by William and Carol Smith who spent 14 months redesigning the five bedroom property. Pictured is a hallway area which features floor-to-ceiling windows

The decided to make the most of the stunning countryside views by putting the reception rooms on the first floor and installing large windows throughout. Pictured is the front door and hallway

It has landscaped, private gardens which have previously been used for the filming location of CBeebies favourite the Twirlywoos.

The Smiths are now looking to downsize as their children have flown the nest.

Rooftops has been put up for sale with estate agents MrandMrsClarke.com for £1.5million.

Estate agent Edd Hart said: ‘It is a beautiful property, one of the best on the estate.

Who was SS General Reinhard Heydrich? 

Heydrich was regarded as one of the most feared member of the Nazi elite, even Hitler called him the ‘man with the iron heart’

Heydrich was regarded as one of the most feared member of the Nazi elite, even Hitler called him the ‘man with the iron heart’. 

He was one of the masterminds behind the Holocaust and would take orders only from Hitler, Goring and Himmler. 

Heydrich took part in organising Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, a pogrom against Jews that was carried out by SA paramilitary forces on November 9-10, 1938. 

He sent a telegram to Gestapo offices and gave permission for arson and destruction of Jewish businesses and places of worship. He also ordered all ‘archival material’ be confiscated from Jewish community centres. 

The telegram demanded that as many Jews were to be arrested as possible and sent to detention facilities. 

Some 20,000 Jews were sent to concentration camps the following day. 

Heydrich was also involved in Operation Himmler – a plan to create a pretext for invading Poland in 1939 which involved a fake attack on a German radio station.

In 1941, Heydrich was the senior officer at a meeting for the ‘Final Solution’ which discussed the deportation of 50,000 Jews from Bohemia and Moravia to ghettos in Minsk and Riga. 

In 1941 Himmler named Heydrich as ‘responsible for implementing’ the forced movement of 60,000 Jews from Germany and Czechoslovakia to the Lodz Ghetto in Poland.

Heydrich died in 1942 after two Czech men, trained by the British Special Operations Executive, parachuted into Prague and threw a mine at his car. 

He didn’t die instantly and was taken to hospital. His recovery turned south and he died on June 2.   

It has landscaped, private gardens which have previously been used for the filming location of CBeebies favourite the Twirlywoos

The bedrooms are on the ground level including a luxurious master suite that has a dressing room and walk-in walk-out shower

Estate agent Edd Hart said: ‘It is a beautiful property, one of the best on the estate. ‘The original Edwardian mansion was torn down in the 1950s and 18 houses were built to make a unique development surrounded by protected agricultural land’

‘The original Edwardian mansion was torn down in the 1950s and 18 houses were built to make a unique development surrounded by protected agricultural land.

‘The individual plots were sold off but they were all big houses, with Rooftops being one of the biggest.

‘Our vendors bought the property in 2005 but have drastically resigned it.

Mr Hart added: ‘The individual plots were sold off but they were all big houses, with Rooftops being one of the biggest’. Pictured is a luxurious cinema room 

Mr Hart said: ‘They spent 14 months redesigning the existing footprint. They decided to make the most of the views by putting the reception rooms on the first floor’

Moreton Paddox is built on the site of a large house which was built at the beginning of the 20th century for Charles Garland’s sister, the daughter of a rich New York banker

The daring operation to assassinate Heydrich was later immortalised in the 1975 film Operation Daybreak starring British actor Martin Shaw

‘They spent 14 months redesigning the existing footprint. They decided to make the most of the views by putting the reception rooms on the first floor.

‘Rooftops is a modern masterpiece of architecture cut dramatically into the landscape, with private gardens that unfold below.

‘The owners have had their family there and they have enjoyed their time and are now looking to downsize.

‘It is a lovely home and would suit a family with older children as the master bedroom suite is a bit removed from the other bedrooms.’


Source: Read Full Article