Blenheim Palace

The 7-acre Blenheim Mansion lies in Woodcock, Oxfordshire, England. Vanburgh's massive baroque attempt to emulate Versailles grandeur, was granted in recognition of John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough’s victory at the Battle of Bleinheim. In all £250,000 of the total building cost of £300,000 was defrayed by parliament.

The actual building of the Palace was not trouble free. The first problem was that the Duchess did not want such a grand residence. She hoped for a smaller country house designed for comfort first and status second. She had many arguments with the architect Vanbrugh until Vanbrugh resigned.

Sarah, the First Duchess, being a strong willed woman unfortunately fell out of favour with the Queen. Court intrigue made the most of this and for a short while the Marlboroughs were forced into exile to Europe in 1712 due to charges of embezzlement. Building of the Palace came to a halt  and eventually the Palace was completed at the Duke’s own expense.

The greatest impact on Blenheim was made by the 9th Duke. He created the formal gardens to east and west of the Palace, restored the Great Court and replanted the entrance avenue and the Grand Avenue. In total he had half a million trees planted in the Park. Inside the house, the 9th Duke was responsible for a complete redecoration of the State Rooms. He also added extensively to the collection at Blenheim particularly the furniture.

In the twentieth century during the both World Wars the dukes allowed Blenheim Palace to be used in various ways for the war effort. During the First World War it was converted into a hospital in order to nurse wounded soldiers.

The most famous member of the family was Sir Winston Churchill who was born at Blenheim and spent a considerable amount of time at the Palace. Winston Churchill was the grandson of John Winston Spencer-Churchill, the 7th Duke of Marlborough. The 7th Duke was Winston's father's father. Winston's father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was the 7th Duke's eldest son.

Winston Churchill was a close friend of the 9th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, who were his cousins.

Today Blenheim Palace is currently home to the twelfth Duke of Marlborough and his family.

The land on which Blenheim Palace is built is owned by the Crown Estate, which is a collection of properties owned by the British monarch. However, the Churchill family has a 999-year lease on the land, which means that they effectively own it. The only payment that the Churchill family is required to make to the Crown Estate is a symbolic rent of one peppercorn per year.

Blenheim Palace has been featured in several movies and television shows, including Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Young Victoria, and Spectre, a James Bond film.

Blenheim Palace has 187 rooms, making it one of the largest houses in England. Some of the most notable rooms in Blenheim Palace include the Great Hall, the Saloon, the Green Writing Room, and the Long Library. The Great Hall is a spectacular room with a high ceiling and a marble floor. The Saloon is a beautifully decorated room with a large fireplace and a chandelier. The Green Writing Room is a cozy room with a fireplace and a collection of books. The Long Library is a long room with a collection of books and a gallery of paintings.

 Blenheim Palace is the only building in England other than royal buildings to be honored with the title of 'Palace'.

The surrounding trees are planted in groups to represent the Battle of Bleinheim. The trees are planted in the positions of the different units that fought at the battle. The English troops are represented by oak trees, the French troops by elm trees, and the Bavarian troops by lime trees. There are also a few other trees, such as chestnut trees and walnut trees, which represent the different nationalities that fought at the battle.

Sources Europress Family Encyclopedia 1999, http://www.blenheimpalace.com/thepalace/history.html