 Article Library Guide to Castles and Houses
ENGLAND - BLENHEIM PALACE
Set in over 2000 acres of parkland, landscaped by Capability Brown, Blenheim Palace is recognised as a World Heritage Site. It is the home of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
The building of the palace came about after John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, won a great victory over the forces of Louis XIV and saved Europe from French domination. As a reward for his services Queen Anne granted Marlborough the Royal Manor of Woodstock and signified that she would build him, at her own expense, a house to be called Blenheim.
Vanbrugh prepared designs for the 22,000 acres of grounds initially granted by Queen Anne, which were largely executed during his time on the project, though they were greatly modified by Capability Brown some seventy years later. Vanbrugh resigned from the commission in 1716 and the building was finished by Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. It has been calculated that the final cost was some £300,000 [£14,500,000 in late-1990s terms].
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