Blenheim Palace, at Woodstock near Oxford, is one of the grandest palaces in England and the only one, apart from royal and episcopal residences, to bear the title of "palace". A masterpiece of English Baroque, it was given by the nation to the 1st Duke of Marlborough for a military victory, and Winston Churchill was born here in 1874. The palace, the park designed by Capability Brown and the great lake have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
History
On 13 August 1704, at the Battle of Blenheim (Höchstädt) in Bavaria, during the War of the Spanish Succession, the Anglo-Austrian army led by John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated the French and Bavarian troops of Louis XIV. To reward him, Queen Anne gave him the royal estate of Woodstock and promised the funds to build a palace. The design was entrusted to the architect and playwright John Vanbrugh, assisted by Nicholas Hawksmoor. The work, begun in 1705, was marked by furious quarrels between Vanbrugh and Duchess Sarah and by funding problems, and was finished in 1722. In the 18th century the landscape designer Capability Brown transformed the park, creating the great lake.
On 30 November 1874, according to tradition during a ball, Lady Randolph Churchill gave birth at Blenheim to her son Winston, who would become Prime Minister and lead the country through the Second World War. Churchill loved the palace deeply: he proposed to his wife Clementine here, and he is buried in the nearby village of Bladon.
- 1704The Duke of Marlborough wins the Battle of Blenheim
- 1705Building of the palace begins
- 1722The palace is completed
- 1764Capability Brown creates the great lake
- 1874Winston Churchill is born at Blenheim
- 1987Blenheim becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site
What to see
The palace
After the great entrance courtyard you enter the Great Hall, more than 20 metres high, with its painted ceiling. Then come the State Rooms, decorated with tapestries depicting the Duke's victories, furniture, porcelain and family portraits, and the Long Library, almost 55 metres long, with a great organ. An exhibition devoted to Churchill displays the room where he was born, letters, photographs and mementoes.
The gardens
Around the palace are formal gardens: the Water Terraces, French-style terraces with pools and fountains, the Italian Garden with its mermaid fountain, the Secret Garden, the rose garden and one of the largest hedge mazes in the world, in the Pleasure Gardens area.
The park and the lake
Capability Brown's park, with the great lake, Vanbrugh's Grand Bridge and the 41-metre Column of Victory, is perfect for long walks. The bridge, designed before the lake existed, with rooms inside its piers, is one of the symbols of Blenheim.
Contemporary art
The palace often hosts contemporary art exhibitions. In 2019, during a show by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, America, a working toilet made of solid gold, was stolen: a sensational theft that made headlines around the world.
Practical information
The palace is open for most of the year and the park every day; tickets bought online can often be converted into a free annual pass. In winter there is an evening light trail. Opening times and prices are on the official website.
Getting there
- By bus: from Oxford on the S3 bus, in about 30 minutes.
- By train: to Hanborough, then a shuttle or taxi; or to Oxford.
- By car: along the A44, about 15 minutes from Oxford.
- By air: Heathrow Airport is about an hour and a quarter away.
Nearby
- The small town of Woodstock, with inns and stone houses, and Churchill's grave at Bladon.
- Oxford, with the Bodleian Library and the Ashmolean.
- The villages of the Cotswolds, a few kilometres away.
Tips
- How long: a full day for the palace, gardens and park.
- When to go: spring to autumn for the gardens; December for the lights.
- A tip: after visiting the palace, cross the Grand Bridge and climb towards the Column of Victory: the view of the palace across the lake is the finest.