Milton Ernest Hall

Milton Ernest Hall

Milton Ernest Hall is a large grade I listed country house in the village of Milton Ernest, Bedfordshire, England.^[1] It now serves as a nursing home.

It was built in 1853–58 for Benjamin Helps Starey on the site of a decaying earlier house by church architect William Butterfield, whose sister Ann was married to Starey. Constructed in limestone in a Gothic Revival style, the main block is L-shaped with projecting gables and a high, steep roof containing several dormer windows.

The property passed then through several hands before being sold in 1906 to Lord Ampthill. ^[2] During the First World War the hall became the home of two of the sons of King George V. ^[3] After the war it was restored to the Starey family.

During the Second World War the hall was used as a base for Special Operations Executive, a small grass landing strip being laid in the grounds. In 1944 it became the United States Eighth Air Force's support command headquarters.^[4] A plaque at the Hall honours the members of the United States Eighth Air Force (including Major Glenn Miller) who were stationed there. The plaque reads:

IN MEMORY OF ALL THE PERSONNEL WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR II AT MILTON ERNEST HALL HEADQUARTERS USAAF EIGHTH AIR FORCE SERVICE COMMAND STATION 608 1943-1946, ALSO MAJOR GLENN MILLER & THE BAND OF THE ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE WHO WERE STATIONED HERE FROM JULY TO DECEMBER 1944^{[citation needed]}

After the US Air Force vacated the Hall, it remained empty until 1968, when Ludwik Dobrzański purchased the property along with the surrounding grounds for £15,000. The family lived at the Hall until it was sold in 1971.

In 1984 the hall was converted to a nursing home.

In the fields adjoining is a grade II listed brick and tile hexagonal dove-cote.

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Coordinates: 52°11′25″N 0°30′49″W / 52.1904°N 0.5136°W / 52.1904; -0.5136