It's so nice in England you can visit the tiniest of cottages one hour and soon visit the grandest of palaces. They even call some of these grand palaces a house! This afternoon we are going to Blenheim Palace!
To say Blenheim is enormous is an understatement! This UNESCO World Heritage site took my breath away when we walked from the car park to the palace gate. It is now the home of the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family. The palace was originally intended to be the reward of the 1st Duke of Marlborough (John Churchill) after the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. The palace has been in the family of the Spencer/Churchill's for over 300 years. It is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
Inside Blenheim, is grand and extraordinary as you can imagine.
The ceilings are beautiful.
So much plaster work full of opulence!
Beautiful tapestries adorn many walls.
Tromp L'loeil painted room by Louis Laguerre.
The ceilings are beautiful.
So much plaster work full of opulence!
Beautiful tapestries adorn many walls.
Tromp L'loeil painted room by Louis Laguerre.
Most of these grand palaces have libraries and Blenheim is no exception. This is the Long Library designed by Christopher Wren. It houses the pipes for the organ that serves the chapel. It is the largest private pipe organ in Europe. It was built by Henry Willis and Sons in 1891.
The chapel had a music service that was lovely to hear.
If one is invited to the coronation of a king or queen you must supply your own chair and your robes to wear. These were used by the family.
There is a whole wing dedicated to Sir Winston Churchill and his memorabilia.
The room where he was born.
Winston Churchill married Clementine Ogilvy in 1908. They had five children.
As beautiful as the interior is we are anxious to explore the grounds. First we need to have something to eat. It's a lovely afternoon to dine alfresco.
The grounds have evolved over the years at Blenheim. The latest genius to take over here was Capability Brown. In 1764 he moved the more formal garden idea to an idea that all nature was a garden. He reshaped the surroundings to suggest a never ending view.
The Column of Victory was completed after the death of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. It is 134 ft. tall and is surrounded by elms that represent the troops in the Battle of Blenheim.
We enjoyed our visit to Blenheim Palace. We are just beginning our journey. I hope you will enjoy the places we visit. There's plenty of walking, so wear comfortable shoes! ♥
There is a whole wing dedicated to Sir Winston Churchill and his memorabilia.
The room where he was born.
Winston Churchill married Clementine Ogilvy in 1908. They had five children.
As beautiful as the interior is we are anxious to explore the grounds. First we need to have something to eat. It's a lovely afternoon to dine alfresco.
The grounds have evolved over the years at Blenheim. The latest genius to take over here was Capability Brown. In 1764 he moved the more formal garden idea to an idea that all nature was a garden. He reshaped the surroundings to suggest a never ending view.
The Column of Victory was completed after the death of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. It is 134 ft. tall and is surrounded by elms that represent the troops in the Battle of Blenheim.
We enjoyed our visit to Blenheim Palace. We are just beginning our journey. I hope you will enjoy the places we visit. There's plenty of walking, so wear comfortable shoes! ♥
Hi ME!
ReplyDeleteTwo things right off the bat - I think our Oliver Hazard Perry Monument on Lake Erie looks very much like that column memorial. I could see it from my bedroom window.
Also, I have been thinking about palaces all day, as my daughter and her husband are in Paris and toured Versailles today!
Thank you for this share - I don't travel much these days and it is fascinating to see bloggers pics of their visits. Loved it.
Michele, it's funny you mentioned Versailles. The first thing I thought of when we walked up to this grand palace was Versailles. I'm sure your daughter and her husband are enjoying themselves. Paris is so special.
DeleteHave a nice Thanksgiving! ♥
Wow!! what good visit... love the pictures!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Krishna. ♥
DeleteWhat beautiful pictures! It looks like you had an amazing trip!
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing, Pilar. Thank you. ♥
DeleteWOW! What a gigantic palace/residence! I can't imagine the upkeep. It's nice it is open to visitors and that you were able to see and photograph so much of it.
ReplyDeleteBlenheim was enormous Pat! The family lives in a private area, of course, and I'm sure they have plenty of help. ♥
DeleteI certainly will wear my comfortable shoes, Martha Ellen, for I plan to come along with you every step of the way! (Hope Grayden doesn't mind!) :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing place is Blenheim . . . so full of history and marvelous things!
Cheryl, Grayden and I both love sharing our trip with you and all our friends. I hope I can share our journey without boring everyone to death. ♥
DeleteYour travelogues are never boring, Martha Ellen!!
DeleteImpressive! Loved the sheep in the last photo.
ReplyDeleteThere are more sheep to come. A lot more! ♥
DeleteNow I'm not sure if it's Blenheim or Chartwell, one or t'other, has it that once you've been your ticket is good for as many return visits as you wish to make in the following 12 months, which is pretty good value if you live nearby.
ReplyDeleteIt is Impressive with a capital I!!!
My shoes are always comfortable, and as Gloria Hunniford says, "buy the best bed and shoes you can afford, because when you're not in one, you're in the other!" Sound advice!
~~~Deb in Wales xo
Love the quote by Gloria Hunniford, Deb! That's so true!
DeleteOur ticket for Blenheim is good for a year, though I doubt we'll be using it again within that time frame. Chartwell is a National Trust site, so you can go for a year as well if you are a member. xoxo ♥
I was wondering, does this palace belong to Diana's brother, the Spencer's? That library is amazing! And it even has a chapel. The grounds are so green and groomed. What a grand palace! I'm sure this tour was amazing to walk through. I love the picture of you in front of the palace, and the rainbow is fitting for you, Martha Ellen. You are a ray of lovely colors. : )
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Sheri, Blenheim does not belong to Diana's brother. I read somewhere that there is a whiff of relations between this family and their's. Usually when royalty visits an estate they have photos all about. I personally didn't see any of Diana here. But this was an enormous palace and I didn't see every nook and cranny.
DeleteEnjoy a wonderful weekend. ♥
The photos are fantastic! I don't know where to begin, but the library and organ, those ceilings, the beautiful grounds, and the Churchill quotes are all wonderful. I'm sorry to say we didn't get to Blenheim Palace. Looking forward to more of your trip!
ReplyDeleteJudy, Blenheim is so enormous it would take days to visit it entirely. We were astonded by its size and history. The organ was quite a sight to behold! I hope you will go for a visit one day. ♥
DeleteWonderful post about Blenheim, love that place. England is so riche of heritage, large and small, it takes a lifetime to visit all these interesting places.
ReplyDeleteRegards from Holland, Janneke
Janneke, you are so right about England! I'm happy to hear you have visited Blenheim! We stood in amazement when we arrived.
DeleteHave a wonderful weekend. ♥
Beautiful place. So glad you got to go and you enjoyed all the walking! haha
ReplyDeletePam, I could walk all day around these beautiful places. ♥
DeleteWasn't Churchill a brilliant man with that quote about his wife! I feel like you and could wander through these historical places forever. I can't wait until next year when I'm going back, XOXO
ReplyDeleteHis quote is a beauty, Susan. It certainly speaks to his appreciation and love of his wife. So glad you are returning to England. Have a great weekend! XOXO ♥
DeleteThat’s a wonderful name “Capability.” What a task to plan such a garden. I remember a PBS program about Leonie Churchill, Winston’s mother, what a beauty she was. I’ll be back!
ReplyDeleteHi Vee, I love his name. His given name was Lancelot Brown. He told his potential clients that their property had the capability to improve!
DeleteI'll have to look up the PBS program about Churchill's mother. That sounds interesting. ♥
Dear Martha Ellen,
ReplyDeleteOh be still my heart. This is truly a sight to behold. Just beautiful. Thank you for sharing. How blessed you are to have been able to take this trip.
It is so nice to see you had come for a visit. I am so happy you enjoyed viewing.
I laugh every time Jasper kicks the can, and he has been doing this for years.
Take care,
Penny
Penny, it was a wonderful visit to England. It was a great way to celebrate our 50th anniversary! ♥
DeleteYour 50th Anniversary? Congratulations! Now that is something to really celebrate.
DeleteThank you so much for your kind words about my Angel relief.
My Thanksgiving was spent with family, and just wonderful. I hope yours was a joyful one.
blessings,
Penny
This is a place that I've always wanted to visit so thanks for taking us along. Wow, it is impressive. And it looks like you've had a beautiful sunny day in which to enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Amalia, I think you would enjoy Blenheim Palace if you get a chance. I had read about it, but visiting here was quite a surprise! Have a nice afternoon. xo ♥
DeleteAll I can say is wow! Of course I love the interior but the exterior grounds capture my heart! I didn’t know Winston Churchill had that kind of background. What a place to be born and marry!
ReplyDeleteLiz, the grounds at Blenheim took our breath away! If you ever have a chance to explore the grounds that Capability Brown designed you will be amazed! We went to one more of his landscaped estates that I will share. Churchill was certainly born into priviledge! ♥
DeleteI am amazed at the paintings on the ceilings and the beautiful tapestries. I've enjoyed reading your post...and even the comments! Thanks for sharing. It would be a dream come true to visit...maybe some day! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteDiane, Blenheim Palace is a treasure that I'm so glad we included in our itinerary. Thank you for coming by for a visit. ♥
DeleteHappy THanksgiving to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pam. I wish you a wonderful day of thanks. ♥
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Martha Ellen. I'm thankful for your friendship and your special posts that I get to read often. : )
ReplyDelete~Sheri
I hope your Thanksgiving day has been full of joy, Sheri. I'm thankful to have you as a friend! ♥
DeleteThis is absolutely amazing! I know I've missed quite a bit about your experiences; however, you have motivated me to take a similar trip! xo Nellie
ReplyDeleteNellie, we were gone for six weeks in total. I have a lot more to share! I've only done one day (in England) here on the blog. If you can go to England, you will never forget it. I hope you are making plans, dear one. xo ♥
DeleteWOWWWW! That is absolutely stunning. how awesome!
ReplyDeleteXO Ellen from Ask Away
www.askawayblog.com
Thank you for stopping by Ellen. Have a wonderful day! ♥
DeleteI so enjoyed this post. Your photographs and descriptions/words were a joy to read.
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate to visit this wonderful Palace some years ago now - it is a great place to visit.
I loved seeing your and Grayden in the photographs, such a special trip.
All the best Jan
Jan isn't Blenheim amazing? We were so impressed with our visit and we're so glad we were able to include it in our itinerary. We adore your lovely country. Thank you for stopping by today. ♥
DeleteI enjoyed reading your post and seeing these beautiful pictures. So nice to see you and your husband in the photos. I would love to visit here one day?
ReplyDeletebetsy
Thank you Betsy for stopping by. It's such a busy time of year. I hardly can keep up these days. I hope you and your husband are able to go to England one day. It's just beautiful! ♥
DeleteI have visited Blenheim several times - but before I started 'ABAB' so my photos are inadequate! Your photos and commentary are great! Glad you enjoyed it, as you so obviously did. For me, the grounds are almost as wonderful as the house - and did you get to Bladon, where WSC is buried?
ReplyDeleteMike we did not get to Bladon. We could have spent days on this gorgeous estate, but unfortunately couldn't. The grounds are absolutely amazing and I agree are on par with the palace! Thanks for stopping by. ♥
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