Luxury
tours
Blenheim
(London 1.5 hours 64 Miles/103 KM)
The
home of the Dukes of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
The palace was named after a village on the Danube where John Churchill
the first Duke won a great victory for Britain and her allies, Holland
and Austria, against Louis XIV in 1704. Queen Anne granted the Duke the
Manor of Woodstock and indicated she would build at her own expense a
house for the Churchills to be called Blenheim. Building started in 1705.
However, the Duke’s absence overseas fighting and winning more battles for his country allowed others to plot against him and withhold the money. Owing over £40,000, building stopped in 1712 and the following the death of Queen Anne the Duke and Duchess finished the work at their own expense.
The State Rooms of the palace are magnificent with the Red Drawing room with its fine paintings by Reynolds, Sargent and Van Dyck taking pride of place. The three State apartments are located between the Saloon and the Long Library and in the First is the desptch written from the battlefield announcing victory at Blenheim. The Blenheim Standard is taken and presented to the sovereign at Windsor each year as a token acknowledging the original gift to the family.
The Long Library, some 55 feet, was originally designed by Vanbrugh as a picture gallery and today contains full length portraits of Queen Anne, King William III and the First Duke. A magnificent stucco ceiling and the wonderful Willis organ are the finishing touches to this impressive room.
Outside, the grounds of the palace provide beautiful parkland with the Column of Victory erected in 1730 at the entrance to the Grand Avenue underlying the importance of this magnificent house and the family who have been an inspiration to the country.
The nearby inns and hotels of Woodstock are also worth a visit for those interested in fine food in comfortable surroundings.
However, the Duke’s absence overseas fighting and winning more battles for his country allowed others to plot against him and withhold the money. Owing over £40,000, building stopped in 1712 and the following the death of Queen Anne the Duke and Duchess finished the work at their own expense.
The State Rooms of the palace are magnificent with the Red Drawing room with its fine paintings by Reynolds, Sargent and Van Dyck taking pride of place. The three State apartments are located between the Saloon and the Long Library and in the First is the desptch written from the battlefield announcing victory at Blenheim. The Blenheim Standard is taken and presented to the sovereign at Windsor each year as a token acknowledging the original gift to the family.
The Long Library, some 55 feet, was originally designed by Vanbrugh as a picture gallery and today contains full length portraits of Queen Anne, King William III and the First Duke. A magnificent stucco ceiling and the wonderful Willis organ are the finishing touches to this impressive room.
Outside, the grounds of the palace provide beautiful parkland with the Column of Victory erected in 1730 at the entrance to the Grand Avenue underlying the importance of this magnificent house and the family who have been an inspiration to the country.
The nearby inns and hotels of Woodstock are also worth a visit for those interested in fine food in comfortable surroundings.
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