© 2004 Karl Harrison, All Rights Reserved.
The name Blenheim derives from a decisive battle that took place on the 13th August 1704 on the north bank of the river Danube, near a small village called Blindheim or Blenheim, where the French leader, Marshall Tallard, had fixed his lines. Here John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, won a great allied victory over the forces of Louis XIV, thus saving Europe from French domination.
In reward for his services in defending Holland and Austria from invasion by the French, a grateful Queen Anne granted to Marlborough the Royal Manor of Woodstock and signified that she would build him, at her own expense, a house to be called Blenheim. Building began in 1705 and was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and is regarded as the finest example of truly Baroque architecture and covers some 7 arces of buildings.
In the mid 18th century, 'Capability' Brown landscaped the 2,000 acres of the gorgeous gardens and parkland, creating the Blenheim lake with its wonderful cascade, building the Temple of Diana, and converting other buildings on the estate to Gothic style.
Tap or click the zoom icon in the bottom right corner of the picture to switch between in-page and fullscreen view