My husband and I will be visiting the London area for 2 weeks in June, with day trips planned to Bath, Stonehenge, Cotswolds. Am contemplating a day trip to Oxford strictly to visit Blenheim Palace, any thoughts? Worthy or other recommendations? Thanks for your input!
Posted by
Oklahoma City, USA
51 posts
My husband and I went to Blenheim this past September. We loved it. Unfortunately we got there with only three hours before closing time so we missed a lot. We enjoyed the tour. We really hope to return some day and see all of it.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3391 posts
Blenheim is truly magnificent and worth your time in my opinion. I went there at least 10 or 12 times while my husband was doing some academic work in Oxford a number of years ago and couldn't get enough! You could easily spend the whole day but schedule at least 1/2 a day to spend there. The tour takes a while and there is a lovely tea garden/cafe off the back. If you want to wander the extensive gardens reserve more time.
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4140 posts
If you do visit Blenheim , assuming you have a car , add a bit of time after your visit to stop at the Church of St. Martin in Bladon ( about a mile past the exit from Blenheim ) to visit the resting place of Winston Churchill and many members of the Spencer - Churchill family , One of the family ( by marriage ) buried there is the American , Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan . Wife of the ninth Duke of Marlborough , and later married to Jacques Balsan , she was a real life incarnation of the likes of Cora Crawley , Countess of Grantham in the current hit " Downton Abbey " . Her life story is quite interesting
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
380 posts
We went to Blenheim a few years ago and loved it! I think it would be very worthy of a day trip. The house is beautiful as are the grounds but we didn't get to see much of it. I so wish we had been able to go to the church mentioned to see Churchill 's grave but our time didn't allow it.
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
@steven... wow, royal relatives... pretty impressive:)
I would definitely take the time to visit Blenheim....it's lovely... also the countryside surrounding it a nice area to drive and find a nice spot to stop for lunch or cream tea:)) yum...
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4140 posts
@ Terry Kathryn ... Actually three royal relatives . Lady Randolph Churchill ( nee Jennie Jerome from Brooklyn NY ) , and we could also include one half of Sir Winston , Thanks to his mom ! The Dukes and Duchesses are buried in the chapel in Blenheim .
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9420 posts
steven, are you saying you're related to Jennie Jerome?
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4140 posts
No . No ! I was only saying that three of the " residents " of the cemetery in the St, Martin churchyard were either wholly or in part American . A relative of Jennie Jerome ? I should only be so lucky !!
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9420 posts
Thanks for your pm steven... I'm still laughing... : )
Posted by
Camano Island, WA, usa
1446 posts
We stayed in a b & b in Bladon...in the room above the carriage house. It was a very quiet location. The gate on that side of the estate was not open to Blenheim so we had to enter thru the main entry in Woodstock. Blenheim is at least a 20 mile drive from Oxford...there is a bus. It is a great starting point for visiting the Cotswolds. I would also recommend spending the night in Bath. You could then circle back by Stonehenge. Unless you are committed to a room in London...you can save a lot of time and money by staying out of town for your expeditions. You can do this by train or car.