Blenheim Palace
On Sunday I joined a number of my classmates on a trip out to Woodstock, a town about 20 minutes by bus from Oxford. The town is nice enough, and we enjoyed a drink there later in the day, but the main draw is the fabulous Blenheim Palace, the home of the Dukes of Marlborough and the birthplace of Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the famed prime minister and orator who led Britain to victory in World War II. The land around Woodstock, and the title of Duke of Marlborough, were granted to John Churchill (1650-1722), the 1st Duke, by Queen Anne (the last of the Stuart monarchs) (1702-14) after his victory at the Battle of Blenheim (1704) during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). The construction of Blenheim Palace began soon after at the direction of John Vanbrugh. Built in the short lived English Baroque style (often defined as existing between 1666 and 1713), it is quite an impressive specimen and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It also boasts impressive gardens and a so-called “Pleasure Garden”, which as you can imagine ignites a good deal of snickering (in reality they’ve got nothing to do with the source of the snickering, but nonetheless it led to some fun jokes on at the garden’s expense).
Queen Pool, Blenheim Palace
Our View at Lunch
In any case, we took a bus from the main station in Oxford out to Blenheim. It was a hot day, with the highs reaching well into the high 80’s Fahrenheit (30 Celsius or so). The bus was somewhat crowded, but not impossibly so, and we arrived without incident. As you walk down the main road into the grounds, you see the palace in the distance, majestic, with the vast, green fields splayed before you. We’d planned a picnic, and the group went off to do that immediately. A few of us wanted to grab some more food, so we headed up to one of the cafes, bought some extra food, and tried to find the rest of our group again. We didn’t, and so ate on our own–sandwiches, fruit, almonds, lemonade, cider, and cookies. It was quite a good assortment, and it was nice to sit under a tree by the Queen Pool, a lake, and see the view.
Marlborough Coat of Arms
After lunch the small group I was with headed up to the palace. It’s quite a sight to behold, beginning with the large gates adorned with gold and bearing the arms of the Duke of Marlborough. Interestingly enough, the motto is in Spanish rather than the traditional Latin, and is Fiel Pero Desdichado, which can be loosely translated as “Faithful but Unlucky”. An explanation of this is that the Churchills supported King Charles I (1625-49) during the English Civil War, and when the king lost and was decapitated, they lost everything. It makes sense, and comes from a reliable source, so I’m buying it. But still, when I first saw it, I was quite intrigued.
The Front Entrance, Blenheim Palace
The main courtyard of the palace is quite impressive—huge, imposing, and grand. As you walk up to the main doors to enter it, you get a feel for the view the Dukes had (and have!) when they go through there. The large column which adorns the landscape is lined up perfectly with the door, and as we’d later see, with the entrance to the dinning room. In any case, the first part is dedicated to perhaps the most famous Briton in history (and certain in modern history), Sir Winston Churchill. It’s mostly a series of letter he wrote, other documents, and explanations. There are some photos, some of his paintings, and his relationship to the Hallmark cards. As a fan of Mr. Churchill’s (of his strength and determination in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds during the War, not his imperial policies), it was quite interesting for me, but objectively it could be somewhat more enticing.
The period Mr. Churchill was around is fascinating for the palace and Dukes of Marlborough, however. Mr. Churchill himself was the first cousin of the 9th Duke, Charles Spencer-Churchill. At the time the 9th Duke inherited the title, the estate was bankrupt, and nearly under. This was not uncommon in that period, with a number of wealthy nobles selling their estates. Many of them, however, did was the 9th Duke did, and married a wealthy American heiress, Consuelo Vanderbilt (this notion is played out in the popular show Downton Abbey). These marriages, while socially advantageous to both (the nobleman gained money, the American social titles), they were often loveless, and were characteristic of the Gilded Age.
The Works of Churchill, Blenheim Palace
The next rooms are mostly there for admiring, and they’re quite impressive. The dinning room and the library, which also has a large pipe organ, are the most memorable. The latter in particular is very bright, with large windows, looking out over fountains and gardens. The books are fascinating, mostly old, but you can find biographies of Mr. Churchill, as well as his own books (Winston Churchill was a prolific writer). By that point my small group had met up with the larger group, and we finished the rooms at about the same time. We then proceeded to one of the cafes at the palace, and had water and champagne. Some of our group split again, and went straight off to the Pleasure Gardens, while the rest of us sat and talked a while longer. We then went to a small wooded area called the Secret Garden. It was quite pretty, and a major contract from the rolling fields that cover most of the grounds.
The Maze in the Pleasure Gardens, Blenheim Palace
From there, we made our way to the train that would take us to the Pleasure Gardens. By the time we arrived, however, the last train had departed, and so we made the walk (perhaps half a mile) down to the gardens. They weren’t quite as spectacular as we’d imagined them, but there was a fabulous maze of which we only went into a small portion. By the time we finished, we were all hot, thirsty, and hungry. We headed into Woodstock, the town, and after some searching and deciding to not stop at a few places that were not very nice, we ended up at a tavern that was very nice. We shared a bottle of proseco and then took the bus back, ending the day with dinner at the Turf Tavern a few dozen meters from the Porter’s Lodge at New College (the fish and chips is a massive order—really more for two than one).
Overall, I highly recommend Blenheim Palace. An palace exemplary of the English Baroque style and its amazing gardens, it’s worth a visit to anyone who is spending time in southern England, and especially in Oxfordshire already. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has the seal of approval of the international community. If you’re a Churchill fan, then it’s a must. But even if you aren’t, go. It’s awesome. Plan a picnic there. And don’t miss the Pleasure Gardens!
A View 