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Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace

John Vanbrugh & Nicholas Hawksmoor

Photo: Blenheim Palace · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Location
Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England
Client / Owner
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
Year
Completed 1722
Access
Tickets required
Typology
Residential
Style
Baroque

Blenheim Palace in Woodstock was built from 1705 to 1722 as a national reward to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and was funded by Queen Anne, Parliament and the Duke. John Vanbrugh was lead architect, with Nicholas Hawksmoor as assistant. The article says the final completion date is unknown.

It is English Baroque, a rare and short-lived style. The Great Hall is 67 feet (20 m) high, the Long Library is 183 feet (56 m) long and the Column of Victory is 134 feet (41 m). Funding ceased in 1712, and work resumed in 1716 at the Duke's expense. The plaque cites a £240,000 grant, while the text says £220,000 was spent.

Capability Brown landscaped the park from 1764. Consuelo Vanderbilt's marriage funded later restoration. It is home to the Dukes of Marlborough and a UNESCO site since 1987, and it is open to the public for a fee.

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