Blenheim Palace
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A glorious Baroque masterpiece set in Oxfordshire's serene Cotswolds, Blenheim Palace is one of England's most iconic buildings. It's also a place with close ties to some of the most important figures in British history.
Blenheim Palace was a gift from Queen Anne to the first Duke of Marlborough (John Churchill) for beating the French at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Almost 200 years later, in 1874, another famous British military leader was born in the palace – Winston Churchill.
There are now two exhibitions at Blenheim Palace featuring Winston Churchill – one in the room of his birth detailing his life and family, and one focusing on the war successes of both Winston and his ancestor, John Churchill.
Winston Churchill is buried just a couple of miles down the road in a peaceful little churchyard in the village of Bladon.
Blenheim Palace's stunning picture-book architecture has seen it grace the silver screen many times, including in Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, Branagh's Hamlet anSpielberg's's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Wandering the exquisite corridors or strolling through the immaculate gardens, it's easy to see why so many people have fallen in love with this beautiful English palace over the centuries. The 2000 acres of grounds hide plenty of enchanting secrets – from water terraces, rose gardens and the recently restored Italian Garden, to the Marlborough Maze, the Butterfly House and the miniature train (a firm family favourite!).
There is a busy programme of events all year round, from jousting tournaments, to open air concerts. You can even see some of the palace's history brought to life in fun animatronic and digital displays.
Opening Times
| 2012: Main Season (11/02/2012 - 07/11/2012) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Tuesday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Wednesday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Thursday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Friday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Saturday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Sunday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Bank Holiday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| 2012: Low Season (07/11/2012 - 14/12/2012) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Times | |
| Monday | Closed | |
| Tuesday | Closed | |
| Wednesday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Thursday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Friday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Saturday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Sunday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
| Bank Holiday | 10:30 | 17:30 |
Facilities
Provider Preferences
- In countryside
- Indoor Attraction
- No Smoking Attraction
- Outdoor Attraction
Accessibility
- All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors
- Guide Dogs Permitted
- Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors
- Ramp/Level Access - A lift is available to take non-electric chairs up to the Palace for the main tour. Electric chair users will need to swap over to a Palace-owned chair. For the 'Untold Story', there is a separate cinema situated in the stables area.
- Toilets for Disabled Visitors
Parking & Transport
- On site parking
- Parking (free)
Catering
- On-Site cafe/restaurant
- Picnic Site
Payment Methods
- Approx length of visit - 03:00
- Delta accepted
- Groups Accepted
- Maestro Accepted
- MasterCard accepted
- Max group size - 120
- Min group size - 15
- Open by appointment outside normal opening times
- Special group rates
- Sterling Travellers Cheques accepted
- Visa accepted
Establishment Features
- Conference facilities
- Event Venue
- Toilets
Specialist Features
- Marketed Towards Children
- Marketed Towards Families
Tours and Demonstrations
- Educational Visits Accepted
- Guided Tours Available for Groups
- Guided Tours Available for Individuals
Languages spoken
- Dutch spoken
- French spoken
- German spoken
- Italian spoken
- Japanese spoken
Printed Material in Foreign Languages
- Chinese printed material
- Dutch printed material
- French printed material
- German printed material
- Italian printed material
- Japanese printed material
- Russian printed material
- Spanish printed material
Group Travel
- Out of Hours Visits
Prices
| Ticket Type | Tariff |
|---|---|
| Palace, Park & Gardens - Adult | £20.00 per ticket |
| Palace, Park & Gardens - Child (5-16) | £11.50 per ticket |
| Palace, Park & Gardens - Concession | £15.50 per ticket |
| Palace, Park & Gardens - Family (2+2 or 1+3) | £52.00 per ticket |
| Park & Gardens - Adult | £11.50 per ticket |
| Park & Gardens - Child (5-16) | £6.00 per ticket |
| Park & Gardens - Concession | £8.50 per ticket |
| Park & Gardens - Family (2+2 or 1+3) | £30.00 per ticket |
Note: Prices are a guide only and may change on a daily basis.
VAQAS Accreditation
Awards
- Green Tourism Business Scheme -
Green Business Silver 2012 - Visit Britain Awards -
Code of Practice 2012 - Tourism South East Award -
.gif "Best Tourism Experience Award Runner Up")
Best Tourism Experience Award Runner Up 2008 - Tourism South East Award -
.gif "Large Visitor Attraction of the Year Winner")
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year Winner 2008 - Tourism South East Award -
.jpg "Large Visitor Attraction of the Year Silver Award")
Large Visitor Attraction of the Year Silver Award 2010 - Tourism South East Award -
.jpg "2011/12 Large Visitor Attraction of the Year Silver Award")
2011/12 Large Visitor Attraction of the Year Silver Award 2011 - Tourism South East Award -
.jpg "2011/12 Sustainable Tourism Silver Award")
2011/12 Sustainable Tourism Silver Award 2011 - Tourism South East Award -
Visit Oxfordshire Member 2012
Gradings
- Quality Assured Visitor Attraction VB Attraction
