Blenheim Palace

King Charles II of Spain died in 1700 without an heir. He left behind an empire at its zenith, covering the nation of Spain, dominions in Italy, the Low Countries and the Americas. Two European dynasties claimed the throne; the Bourbons of France and the Habsburgs of Austria. However, before he died King Charles bequeathed his empire to Philip, duc d'Anjou, a grandson of King Louis XIV in France. Philip’s father was Louis, le Grand Dauphin, heir apparent to the French throne. Louis was also the most direct legitimate successor to the Spanish throne.

The Austrian and English monarchy opposed secession falling to the French royal family. Both were concerned that the royal families of Spain and France would eventually be ruled by a single heir, destabilising the delicate balance of power in Europe. As a result, they went to war in conflict that became known as the War of Spanish Succession.


For more than 13 years conflict raged across Europe and the Americas. The greatest of these was the Battle of Blenheim fought outside the small Bavarian village of Blindheim. Here, on August 13, 1704, the French army was soundly defeated by an allied army under the command of John Churchill (who later became the Duke of Marlborough). The battle proved to be a turning point as it denied the French swift victory over the Hapsburg dynasty. In time Philip V of Spain renounced any future claim to the French throne and peace was restored.


As a mark of gratitude, Queen Anne of England, granted the Duke of Marlborough a large tract of land just north of Oxford and £240,000 to build a suitable house. The building that was eventually constructed became known as Blenheim Palace. Today Garry and I decided to explore this grand Baroque mansion. We were prompted in action by stunning images we’d seen on television earlier in the week. The BBC is currently screening a reality show in which couples compete to open and retain their own restaurant. The format is modeled closely on the Australian show, “My Restaurant Rules,” which ran for two sessions in 2004-5.


Garry and I joined a tour that took us through Blenheim Palace’s majestic state rooms, culminating in the Grand Library. Here you can admire an enormous pipe organ, the largest such instrument in private hands anywhere in Europe. We also learnt that the palace is the ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill, Britain’s wartime Prime Minister.

Churchill was born here in 1874. Today, you can walk through the bedroom he was born in. It's furnished with a simple brass bedstead and simple Victorian water jugs. Less than a mile away lies Sir Winston's grave. He is buried in the family plot on the grounds of a nearby church at Blandon. You can glimpse the church's spire from the palace windows.


Other highlights of our day included a refreshing stroll through the palace grounds, admiring the picture-perfect boating lake, rose garden and water garden. The palace also affords stunning views of the ground’s other attraction; the towering column of victory that crowns a neighbouring hill. Access is made possible via a grand arch bridge that crosses a narrow reach on the boating lake.


We finished our day trip with three more excursions. The first was a wander through the Yew hedge maze on edge the palace grounds. The second was a brief visit to Blandon to see the grave of Sir Winston Churchill. Bladon's local church sits on a hill surrounded by old stone-walled houses. Reaching it requires some deft manoeuvring through narrow, sloping village lanes lined by towering stone walls.


The final excursion was an early evening stroll through the nearby streets of Oxford. This was a magic experience. As the sun began to set, its dying rays lit up the town’s dusty sandstone buildings. This was our first visit to the historic university town. We’ll definitely be back to enjoy more of its stunning architecture.