About
Designed by John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor and built between 1705 and 1722, Blenheim was the nation's gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, after his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. It is the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title 'palace'.
The state rooms hold tapestries, portraits, and the bedroom in which Sir Winston Churchill was born in 1874. Outside, more than 2,000 acres of parkland by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown sweep around the Great Lake; the formal Italian and Secret Gardens sit closer to the house.
It is a long visit — half a day for the palace and grounds together, longer if you take the small-gauge train and the pleasure gardens. Most visitors arrive from Woodstock, a handsome small town in its own right.
The Cotswold Guide Top Tips
- An ordinary day ticket converts to a Blenheim Annual Pass at the exit kiosk for free — worth doing even if you only think you might come back once.
- The miniature train from the Palace forecourt to the Pleasure Gardens saves a long uphill walk on warm days.
- There is a separate car park closer to the walled garden if you're going with kids.
In Woodstock
A handsome Georgian market town built up against the gates of Blenheim — Churchill's birthplace and the only non-royal palace in England.
Read the Woodstock guide →Upcoming events at Blenheim Palace
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Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering cottages in and around Woodstock — within easy reach of Blenheim Palace. Browse availability for your dates on Booking.com.
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