Blenheim Palace
 Royal Britain |
For a small town of around 2000 people, Woodstock has a rich history and is host to one of the most famous palaces in England, Blenheim Palace, the home of Winston Churchill.
But long before the palace was built, Woodstock, situated to the north west of Oxford was a popular manor and hunting lodge for English kings. Following a brief stay at the lodge in the 12 th century, King Alfred the Great stocked the adjoining park with deer and put a fence around it, thus making it the first fully encircled park in England. The town of Woodstock today, though small, retains its traditional character, having many Georgian buildings and shops and traditional Inns and hotels.
At the end of Park Street, the visitor is led through a triumphant arch towards the magnificent Blenheim Palace, designed by Sir John Vanbrugh during the early18 th century for John Churchill, the First Duke of Marlborough. Set in 2000 acres of parkland designed by the great English gardener, "Capability" Brown. The grounds, together with the original manor, were given to the First Duke by Queen Ann as reward for his victory over the French at the Battle of Bleinheim in 1704. The palace took 20 year to build, by the end of which emerged a Baroque masterpiece about which King George III declared, "we have nothing to equal this".
Entry to the palace is gained through the Great Court after which the visitor is taken on a tour of magnificent rooms such as the grand Long Library with its splendidly decorated ceiling and private apartments, which may be viewed when the Duke is not in residence. Outside, although there is no entry to private gardens, there is still much of their beauty to see such as the gorgeous Water Terraces, the Lake, the Rose Garden, the Grand Cascade and the Pleasure Gardens, which can be accessed by a miniature railway. The Pleasure Gardens also include a butterfly house, a herb garden and a children's adventure playground.