Winston Churchill, renowned for his leadership during the Second Wold War and considered by many as a great war politician was once just your average son of a Lord. And he lived here, Blenheim Palace, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough and his family residence for a large part of his life. He was born here, lived here and proposed here to Clementine Hozier. Blenheim Palace is in Oxfordshire and, part mausoleum part national monument, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Palace was designed in the English Baroque style, built in the early 18th century as a gift for the first Duke of Marlborough John Churchill. The title was created for him, a respected military leader in the battle of Blenheim, by Queen Anne. She granted him this royal manor and park and ensured the funds necessary to build the house. In return he made sure the Palace became a monument to the Queen.
It was the 4th Duke who commissioned Capability Brown, a famous landscape designer to make changes to the Park and Gardens. Capability Brown was well respected and still known today. Just a few of his other works include the landscape of the Cambridge Backs, a great number of stately homes such as Chatsworth house, Highclere Castle (famous recently for its appearance in ITV's Downton Abbey), and Warwick castle, just to name a few. The estate's 2000 acres of beautiful parkland are certainly worth exploring.
Blenheim Palace is a magnificent building and a visit will offer guided tours around the wonderful interiors to admire the collections. Themed tours are also on offer with a series of special interest talks and Private Apartment Tours for a closer glimpse at the rooms of the Duke and Duchess. A series of exhibitions are available throughout the year for you to discover more about the 300 years of enchanting history.
The Palace will always offer a good day out with formal gardens, pleasure gardens, water terraces and the parkland on offer if you prefer to stay outside; there's even fishing in the summer! Visit the shop, or stop off at one of the various cafes for a bite to eat.
There is a whole calendar of events running throughout the year including children's days, the annual Blenheim Palace Festival of Transport, activity days and popular Christmas festivities.
Image: Colin Smith (http://www.geograph.org.uk)
Find out what events are happening this month.
Take a look on the Blenheim Palace website to find out all that there is on offer and to plan your visit. Much of it is open from 10.30am-5.30pm but times vary for the different areas of the park and gardens, so double check before setting off, just in case!
At less than an hour away, Buckland Court provides a fantastic base from which to visit Blenheim and explore the surrounding Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The palace offers annual passes so you can visit multiple times during your stay in the area. Find out how you can stay at Buckland Court by following the link below.
