Blenheim Palace

When most people think of grand English palaces, they think of Buckingham Palace, home of the reigning monarch. I visited there last year and it was indeed grand, which is why I was so intrigued by the sign I saw on the approach to Blenheim Palace.

According to my Google search, it's called Britain's greatest palace because it's the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. (I guess that wouldn't have looked as impressive on the sign.) It's also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The approach to the Palace is sort of through a side gate which is adjacent to the parking area.

Once inside the gates you're in the East Courtyard which houses two restaurants, event spaces and the gift shop.

If you've been following this blog for a while you may remember the year I dubbed my travels, "The scaffolding tour." Virtually every historic house we visited was in the process of having restoration work done. Well, Blenheim Palace is also experiencing major renovations due to the fact that the roof has apparently been leaking for decades. At some point in time, the upkeep on the house was so expensive that in order to raise cash, the lead from the roof was removed and sold. Whatever was put in its place was clearly not up to the task and over the years various parts of the Palace have been declared off limits to visitors because of the damage. The front of the main entrance is covered in white fabric so its impressive facade is only visible on the sign next to the front door.

The gentleman pictured on the sign is John Vanbrugh, the man who designed the Palace. Blenheim is celebrating the man they call "the rockstar of English baroque architecture" on the 300th anniversary of his death. As part of this celebration, an actor dressed as Vanbrugh leads tours of the Palace, telling his story and the story of his battles with Sarah Churchill, wife of the Duke of Marlborough.

If you saw the film "The Favorite," you'll be familiar with the story of Sarah Churchill who was a lady in waiting of Queen Anne. Her husband, the 1st Duke of Marlborough, was given the land and substantial financing for the palace as a reward for his victory against the French and Bavarians at the battle of Blenheim in 1704.

Vanbrugh was the son of a cloth merchant, but grew up in Chester after his family left London as a result of either the plague or the Great Fire of London. He was politically active and, working undercover, played a role in bringing about the invasion of England by William of Orange and the deposition of James II.

He moved back to London, became a successful playwright, and joined the KitKat Club - not the one from Cabaret - the private club whose members were the movers and shakers of English society. It was through his contacts there that he was able to land the job designing Blenheim Palace. It is truly a work of art. Vanbrugh borrowed ideas he'd seen on his grand tour of Europe and covered everything in gold leaf. He chose only the finest and most expensive materials and hired only the best craftsmen; Sarah Churchill was constantly battling Vanbrugh for what she perceived as his excesses. Sarah and John had further troubles when their relationship with Queen Anne broke down and they were dismissed from their royal posts. In 1712 they chose to leave England for Antwerp and all construction on the palace stopped. It was only after Queen Anne's death that they returned to England. In 1715, the new King agreed to settle the debts incurred at Blenheim if Sarah & John agreed to pay for the remaining work. Vanbrugh left the project and work on the Palace continued with a new team.

Vanbrugh's Long Gallery:

The organ at one end of the gallery was commissioned by the 8th Duke of Marlborough, Winston Churchill's uncle.

At the other end of the gallery is a statue of Queen Anne, commissioned by Sarah Churchill. The statue is an idealized version of the Queen, who was noted for being quite overweight and rather dowdy.

Another notable fact about Blenheim Palace is that it is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

The room where he was born:

There's a special exhibition about Churchill, both his life at Blenheim and his place in world history.

Among the items on display is this diamond-encrusted malachite cigar case with a presentation plaque that reads, "To Winston Churchill from the People of the Belgian Congo."

Several of his memorable quotes adorn the walls. These are two of my favorites.

Also on display are some of his art materials and a couple of his paintings.

I remember when we visited Chartwell, Churchill's estate in Kent, there was a large outbuilding that served as his art studio. The walls were filled with his paintings from top to bottom.

Film coverage of his funeral plays in one area of the house. It's incredibly moving.  

The twelfth Duke of Marlbrorough and his family still live in the Palace, so some of the rooms have a no photos policy. It's too bad, because there was a Lalique fire screen that was glorious which I wish I could have shot. There was a portrait of Mary, Duchess of Marlborough by Count Pallastrelli de Celleri that was absolutely exquisite. The way he painted her tulle wrap was amazing. You would swear that you could see through the fabric.

The chapel is astounding, with its glorious decorations.

The Palace gardens are lovely and made me wish that it were a bit later in spring when more things would have been in bloom.

A pretty pheasant greeted us on our way out.

It's such a lovely place, I would happily return to Blenheim to see the Palace once all the scaffolding has come down and the repair work is completed.