Blenheim Palace, home to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, offers a memorable day out, and can be easily reached by regular buses from Oxford station.

Blenheim Palace & Woodstock

Blenheim Palace, home to 11th Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, offers a memorable day out.  Set in 2100 acres of beautiful parkland landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown, the exquisite Baroque Palace is surrounded by sweeping lawns, formal gardens and the magnificent Lake.

Within the Palace, you can see the State Rooms filled with examples of superb craftsmanship in the intricate detail and delicacy of the carvings, the hand painted ceilings and amazing porcelain collections, tapestries and paintings displayed collected over the last 300 years.

Formal gardens flank the house, and the beauty and tranquility of Capability’ Brown’s landscaped parkland, created in the 1760's and the Formal Gardens, created more recently, are unrivalled anywhere in Britain. The bridge across the lake is one of the most picturesque and photographed scenes in the UK.

The Pleasure Gardens welcome young visitors and families and has special activities throughout the season. With delicious food and beautiful gifts available, Blenheim Palace is Britain’s Greatest Palace.

Blenheim Palace plays host to a number of events throughout the year. Pop and music concerts, craft fairs, motoring exhibitions, country fairs, the annual three-day horse trials and much more.

There are two main entrances to Blenheim Palace, one just south of Woodstock on the Oxford Road is where the buses from Oxford will drop you off and pick you up, and the other through the Triumphal Arch at the end of Park Street in Woodstock. There are various other entrances that are suitable for pedestrians.

Visitors to Blenheim Palace can explore the gardens and tour around the Private Apartments and see where the current Duke and his family live. It was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

For more information visit the Blenheim Palace website
 

Blenheim Palace is located in Woodstock. It is a fine Georgian town with a distinct Royal heritage, containing many attractive period buildings including the 18th century Town Hall; the Church of St Mary Magdalene with its Norman doorway, early English windows and a musical clock, which plays tunes hourly.

The Oxfordshire Museum, the county museum of Oxfordshire, and the Visitor Information Centre are housed in the 17th century Fletcher’s House in the centre of Woodstock.

This Cotswolds Market Town is renowned for its antique shops but also has an interesting selection of other shops and galleries along its many charming streets, as well as some excellent pubs, restaurants and tea shops.  For those wanting to stay longer, there are several good hotels and Bed & Breakfast (B&B's) available.

Woodstock is an lovely place to explore; to help you do so there is the 1.1 mile (1.9Km) Woodstock Walk, which starts from the centre of the town.