Blenheim Palace
Blenheim holds many distinctions. It is a large baroque palace built for the unbeatable Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, victor against the French in the 17th century, most notably at the Battle of Blenheim. It was the birthplace of the great Winston Churchill, cousin to the 10th Duke of Marlborough. It is also one of the most gorgeous places I have ever visited.
We stopped at Blenheim Palace on the way to Oxford on Wednesday. There are several gardens across the sprawling estate, including the strictly manicured Italian Garden and the rambling and wild Secret Garden. There are monuments and statues, and further off from the house a hedge maze. Unfortunately, time was limited and I only had the opportunity of viewing the gardens around the house, and then the Secret Garden just beyond. Many of us went to the Secret Garden just because we were laughing at having a "secret" garden labeled not only on the map, but with signs around the grounds pointing to it. It was small, but very pretty. It had a small stream running through it, and footbridges, benches, and a gazebo around it and the patchy foliage. I had a jealous fun weaving my way along the paths.
My jealousy of the Churchill family only grew with the tour of the inside of the house. Portraits of the family and monarchs covered all the walls. I would have admired the wallpaper more if I could actually have seen it. With a line of eleven dukes and their duchesses there did not seem enough room on the huge state apartment walls for all of them. And the walls not covered in portraits were covered by the wall-filling tapestries depicting John Churchill's victory at the Battle of Blenheim. According to our guide, the tapestries are worth more than the Crown Jewels. And seeing the amazing detail and preservation of the hangings, I can well believe it. All in all, the house was beyond description in its size and beauty. I am only now left wondering which I prefer more: Blenheim or the French royal palace of Fontainebleau, which I visited four years ago.
We stopped at Blenheim Palace on the way to Oxford on Wednesday. There are several gardens across the sprawling estate, including the strictly manicured Italian Garden and the rambling and wild Secret Garden. There are monuments and statues, and further off from the house a hedge maze. Unfortunately, time was limited and I only had the opportunity of viewing the gardens around the house, and then the Secret Garden just beyond. Many of us went to the Secret Garden just because we were laughing at having a "secret" garden labeled not only on the map, but with signs around the grounds pointing to it. It was small, but very pretty. It had a small stream running through it, and footbridges, benches, and a gazebo around it and the patchy foliage. I had a jealous fun weaving my way along the paths.
My jealousy of the Churchill family only grew with the tour of the inside of the house. Portraits of the family and monarchs covered all the walls. I would have admired the wallpaper more if I could actually have seen it. With a line of eleven dukes and their duchesses there did not seem enough room on the huge state apartment walls for all of them. And the walls not covered in portraits were covered by the wall-filling tapestries depicting John Churchill's victory at the Battle of Blenheim. According to our guide, the tapestries are worth more than the Crown Jewels. And seeing the amazing detail and preservation of the hangings, I can well believe it. All in all, the house was beyond description in its size and beauty. I am only now left wondering which I prefer more: Blenheim or the French royal palace of Fontainebleau, which I visited four years ago.
posted by ladyofdarkshadows | 7:50 AM
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