Blenheim Palace: UNESCO World Heritage Site

One of the greatest stately homes in England, and a Unesco World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace is the ancestral home of the Churchill family. A monumental baroque fantasy and surrounded by more than 2000 acres of famous landscape designer ‘Capability’ Brown's landscaped Parkland and Formal Gardens, Blenheim houses some of the finest antique collections in Europe. Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and Nicholas Hawksmoor, and built between 1705 and 1722, Queen Anne gave both the land and the necessary funds to John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, as thanks for defeating the French at the 1704 Battle of Blenheim. Sir Winston Churchill was born here in 1874, and Blenheim remains to this day as home to the 12th Duke. 

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Winston Churchill and the pivotal moments that unfolded at Blenheim Palace from his birth to his heartfelt proposal to beloved wife Clementine, the special Churchill Exhibition offered insights into the statesman's life from birth to his role as a wartime leader. Over the years Blenheim has had many public faces, being used as a hospital for wounded soldiers during World War I and a home for evacuees in World War II. Spending an lovely day exploring the Palace, its breathtaking gardens, fascinating Winston Churchhill exhibition, and enjoying a delicious lunch at Blenheim Palace's 18th-century Orangery Restaurant which reopened last year after a £2million restoration, we spent a gorgeous sunny day at one of England's true national treasures.

Detail of crest on the majestic east gates which guard the entrance to Blenheim Palace, 

Sir Winston Churchill's birthplace

Blenheim Palace Entrance

The Main Entrance Hall

The Green Drawing Room

The Red Drawing Room

Portrait of the 9th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and their two sons by John Singer Sargent,

one of my favourite artists, hangs in the Red Drawing Room

The elegant Green Writing Room with the famous Marlborough Tapestries named the 'Victories Series', each one depicting a different campaign

Battle of Blenheim 1704

Tapestry celebrating victory in the War of the Spanish Succession with paintings set against 

green silk damask walls bearing the Churchill family’s coat of arms

The State Dining Room was designed as a grand Reception Room with walls and ceiling painted 

by Louis Laguerre and is used by the Duke and his family for Christmas dinner

The walls of the First State Room are covered with more Blenheim tapestries, 

each one depicting military victories of the 1st Duke of Marlborough.

The Churchill family pays rent to Windsor Castle in the form of a French flag 

in exchange for the continued use of Blenheim Palace, and it must be remitted annually 

to prevent the Royal Family from reclaiming the land

Framed family photographs on the table with photo of Gladys, 9th Duchess of Marlborough,

who looked similar Princess Diana even though Gladys wasn’t part of the Spencer bloodline

Looking from the gilded First State Room through 

Julian Newman is the man tasked with looking after the dozens of historic clocks 

and timepieces within Blenheim Palace

The Long Library contains over 10,000 volumes with a floor made of English Oak

harvested from the Park and laid in 1722

A beautiful Library with a handsome collection of hardcover tomes

Collection of Dickens Novels

Full set of Proud's History of England

The 1891 Father Willis Organ at the end of the Long Library

is the largest organ in a "private" house in Europe

When a key is pressed, each of the 53 'speaking stops' on the organ control air the from the wind chest into the pipes to create a distinctive sound or voices

The West Courtyard and entrance to The Churchill Exhibition,

celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Sir Winston Churchill at Blenheim Palace

Small sculpture of Sir Winston Churchill

Chest of Silver cutlery presented to Churchill by the City of Sheffield in 1943,

and was also awarded the Freedom of the City

Churchills Dining Room table and settings

Churchill's gramophone

Churchill's Bedroom when was a child growing up at Bleninheim Place

A prolific and talented painter, This is one of Churchill's original canvases

The Formal Gardens

Blenheim Palace is possibly Lancelot 'Capability' Brown's masterpiece for scale 

with over 2,000 acres of landscaped parkland

The Orangery Restaurant on the grounds of Blenheim Palace overlooks the Duke's Italian Gardens

with views from the terrace across the South Lawn

The Orangery at Blenheim Palace was historically used as a store for orange trees 

and later as a private theatre

The Orangery Restaurant with its traditional floor tiles, huge arched windows

 and elegant glass-panelled ceiling provide a stunning backdrop for our lunch 

The perfect way to begin our lunch - a glass of Blenheim House Champagne

The Orangery Lunch Menu

Chilled Pea and Mint Soup with Blenheim spring onion crème fraiche

Pan-Seared Seabass with Blenheim baby potatoes, roasted fennel, watercress and salsa verde

Steak Burger with melted local cheese, Blenheim Garden Salad, burgers sauce and frites

Sticky Toffee Pudding Pie with toffee sauce and iced cream

Jasmin Tea being poured

Lovely fragrant hot cup of Jasmin tea

www.blenheimpalace.com