Blenheim Palace

We spent today at Blenheim Palace and what a place it is.

It has been the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough for 300 years and was built between 1705 and 1722 after the land was gifted to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. He had been rewarded for his victory leading the English armies over French and Bavarian forces at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. He was given funding from Queen Anne to build his new home

On 30 November 1874, it also became the birthplace of Winston Churchill, the grandson of the 7th Duke of Marlborough. It is currently the residence of the 12th Duke of Marlborough.

Currently the roof is being restored, which means part of the facade is covered in scaffolding. But this means during the work there is access to the roof, which shows the restoration work up close and gives views across the estate. The scaffolding if laid end to end would stretch for 50kms.

After our day at the palace we walked to Churchill's grave at the St. Martins Church in Bladon, which is adjacent to the palace. Here he rests with his parents, wife Clementine and his children.Læs mere