Archive for the tag 'Blenheim Palace'

Designed by ‘Capability’ Brown in the 1760s, the Grand Cascade at the western end of the lake is one of England’s most picturesque waterfalls. Here the Glyme plunges dramatically from the lake and the slowly winds south-westwards under the ‘New’ Bridge designed by Sir William Chambers, eventually joining the River Evenlode, a tributary of the [...]

6 Comments CherryPie on Jun 15th 2015

The 41-metre (134-foot)-high Doric ‘Column of Victory’ stands at the entrance to the Great Avenue in the Park. It is crowned by a lead statue of the 1st Duke, by Robert Pit. The statue depicts him dressed as a Roman general, with eagles at his feet and a Winged Victory in his hand. The monument [...]

16 Comments CherryPie on Jun 13th 2015

Previously referred to as the ’roundabout’, in 2012 the Roundel was restored and turned into a beautiful water feature.
The late 1890s and early 1900s saw the Roundel at its finest, but the 21st century saw this garden feature in need of restoration and rejuvenation. In early 2012, the 11th Duke of Malborough, with the generous [...]

4 Comments CherryPie on Jun 6th 2015

The secluded secret garden is a nice tranquil place with winding pathways, ponds and streams.

As part of the commemoration of the tercentenery in 2004 of the Battle of Blenheim, the 11th Duke restored the garden, first laid down by his father; keeping much of the original layout while introducing many new features.
As a ‘garden for [...]

17 Comments CherryPie on Jun 5th 2015

The Italian garden is situated in front of the private part of Blenheim Palace and not open to the public.

The garden enjoys a delightful, sheltered position, bordered on two sides by the Orangery and the East Front. Despite its name, the Italian Garden would not look out of place at a French chateau. With its [...]

10 Comments CherryPie on Jun 4th 2015

Undoubtedly the majestic Water Terraces on the west front are a major part of the 9th Duke’s outstanding legacy to the Palace. A remarkable 20th century achievement, they have been compared to  the Parterre d’Eau at Versailles. The Duke took his inspiration from Bernini whose river-gods fountain, now on the lower terrace, is a scale [...]

8 Comments CherryPie on Jun 3rd 2015

Blenheim Palace was built in the early 18th Century to celebrate the victory over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession.
In particular, it was built as a gift to the 1st Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, the military commander who led the Allied forces in the Battle of Blenheim on 13th August 1704. [...]

16 Comments CherryPie on Jun 2nd 2015

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