Blenheim Palace

On the outskirts of Woodstock are the famous gates of Blenheim Palace, Sir John Vanbrugh’s masterpiece, which was built for John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough. The construction of the house was a gift from Queen Anne to the Duke after his victory over the French and Bavarians at Blenheim in 1704. However, before its completion, Queen Anne’s gratitude had waned and the Marlborough family had to pay to have the house finished. The gardens and parklike grounds were landscaped by Capability Brown. Sir Winston Churchill, the grandson of the 7th Duke, was born here on November 30, 1874, and associations with him have accentuated the historical interest of the palace. (Winston Churchill, his wife, father, Lord Randolph Churchill, and mother, Jenny Jerome, the beautiful daughter of an American newspaper owner, are buried in St. Martin’s churchyard in Bladon, 2 miles away.) You drive through the grounds to the house, park on the grass, and either tour the sumptuous rooms with a group or wander independently. A narrow-gauge railway takes you through the park to the butterfly farm and plant center.