Wow, I got my first diamond!!! thanx to everybody for the comments! Oh well I got something out of ...
Wow, I got my first diamond!!! thanx to everybody for the comments! Oh well I got something out of George Wimpey!
Member since:11.10.2002
Reviews:55
Members who trust:19
Last year Blenheim Palace was on the list for our valentine weekend, but not quite making it, this year it was definitely the place to go.
**Where is it *** Blenheim Palace is in Woodstock in Oxfordshire, very easy to find, once you come off the M40 it is easily signposted.
***History *** The name of the Palace comes from the Battle of Blenheim, which was fought in August 1704, where the first duke of Marlborough gained victory over the French.
In reward Queen Anne, gave him Woodstock and said she would build him a house called Blenheim.
**What to see *** The Palace is set in 2,100 acres of spectacular parkland. The gardens consist of many different formal gardens, including this year the secret garden that will be restored to its full flurry after more than 30 years.
There is a train which leaves every half hour (a must for the big and little kids alike) which takes you to the Pleasure Gardens, which includes an adventure play area, putting green, giant chess, herb gardens, butterfly garden and maze.
Some of the formal gardens were not available when we went, but I presume this is just because of the time of year.
The Palace itself is a magnificent piece of architecture, which holds more history than one person can take in one day. When entering the palace, you are in awe of the detail that has gone into this building.
There is a new exhibition this year, focussed on Winston Churchill, with pictures and letters from through out his era. The letters he sent to his father from school are particularly amusing! Although it’s not a large exhibition, it holds an amazing amount of information.
Once you have been to the exhibition, make sure you join a guide for the trip around the palace. There is no additional cost, but the information that the guide gives, from factual information to light hearted comments are so informative, a real must!. The guide we had did this with her own warmth and amusement, and I feel that walking around on my own would have been a wasted trip in comparison. The palace is a huge building, but you actually get to see very little of it, that was my only disappointment, I wanted to run riot and see it all!!!
There are a number of places to eat at the Palace, from the Terrace Restaurant to two cafes!! Food is reasonably priced, and you can also get their own bottled water from Blenheim Spring, and their own ice-cream (sorry it was a bit too cold to try the ice-cream).
***Opening Times *** The park is open from 9.00 – 16.45 daily The Palace is open from 10.30 – 5.30 (note it closes during winter, feb 14th is the first day of opening).
We didn’t get there until lunchtime, and found we didn’t have enough time to do everything, SO make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy everything. There really is a whole days worth.
***Cost *** For an adult it costs £11 to see the park, gardens and palace. If you didn’t want to see the Palace its just £6, but believe me the Palace is worth the extra money.
In my opinion, this isn’t really a place for children, although there are a few things for them like the adventure play area, but inside the palace there are a lot of things they shouldn’t touch, but for adults, I think this is a fabulous day out! Its quite expensive, but for a whole day out, money well spent, and if its a nice summer day, a picnic would be superb, the views are magnificant.
For further information check out their website www.blenheimpalace.com
I will update the review after my next trip in a couple of months, with all the things that were not open, or I missed!
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The Churchill Exhibition was surprisingly disappointing in comparison to the huge Churchill Exhibit lovingly cared for and prepared by one man in Bletchley Park. The furniture and the tapistry worth the visit but if it had not been for the warm sunshine, I would have felt some how cheated by what I presume to be a top quality heritage palace. The building felt rundown and the guides equally exhausted.
Discerna 06.07.2005 13:55
The price has gone up to £13 admission. When I visited recently there didn't seem to be the option of a guided tour which we would have liked. Fortunately I could still remember some of the relevant history and had bought the guide book for £4 otherwise I would have been lost. I was disappointed relative to earlier visits.
petitesquirt 25.02.2004 21:21
I visited it several years ago during the summer and it was beautiful. The furniture in the Palace were so grand.
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