This impressive place was built at the early 1700’s by John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough, following his military successes in the War of Spanish Succession. The palace is notable for many historically significant events and people, including being the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill, who was born prematurely in the palace during his parents’ visit in 1874. There’s an extensive exhibit on the life and works of Winston Churchill, including his letters and paintings. Depending on your point of view, the palace is either beautifully opulent or an example of wretched excess, or some combination of the two. By any measure, it’s amazing.
We visited the day after Easter, a bank holiday, so the place was filled with families; kids playing in amusement areas and getting lost in the maze! The butterfly house was better than any we’ve experienced; dozens of butterflies flitting very closely around.
The gardens are varied, lovely and extensive, beautifully designed and maintained, dotted with flowering plants and giant trees. The designer of the gardens was partial to Lebanese Cedars and so some very large cedars grace the property. Some sizable and old English Oaks are there too. The oldest tree on the property is 1,052 years old, pre-dating the palace by over 700 years!
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