My husband and I have a week off and decided to do a ‘staycation’ this time. Going through my long list of things I’d like to do and places I’d like to see (I like my lists and spreadsheets) we’ve decided to visit Blenheim Palace. With the weather being rather unpredictable for July we thought it’d be perfect as you can spend hours inside the palace and outside in the magnificent gardens.
We arrived through the Hensington Gate where you pay your entry fee (£23 per adult). We were then directed to a car park immediately on the left which meant it was approximately a 5 minute walk to the actual palace. If you have children it may be advisable to take all you need with you rather than leave things in the car as it is quite far to walk back and forth. They did have further car parks closer to the palace so if you are not that mobile just ask if you can park there. The staff were really friendly so I can’t see that being a problem.
I know £23 per adult sounds quite steep but we were told that you can turn your day ticket into an annual pass and come back anytime… so that’s what we did!
There are a number of tours you can do:
- A tour of the private apartments of the Duke of Marlborough (approximately 1 hour) – £5 per person. Available on selected dates only.
- A tour of the state rooms (30-40 minutes) – no extra cost. Available throughout the season, except Sundays, Bank Holidays and ‘very busy days’ when they operate a free-flow system.
- ‘Blenheim Palace, the untold story, 300 years of enticing tales’ (40 minutes) – An interactive audio experience bringing to life the events and stories of the Marlborough family and household staff over the past three centuries (note: this tour is unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs; you are advised to visit the Indoor Cinema for an alternative experience).
In terms of facilities, you can hire mobility scooters free of charge and there is a really nice Cafe and Gift shop. The Cafe offers hot/cold drinks, cakes and snacks and it’s not overly expensive. We paid £2.70 for a very decent cup of hot chocolate. They also have lockers at the Cafe in case you wanted to store any of your belongings whilst out and about.
We mostly enjoyed the tour of the private apartments as it offered some real insight into how the current Duke of Marlborough lives. Apparently, he owns another residence on the estate so the palace rooms aren’t always in use. There was evidence of occasional use though as we spotted a flat screen TV, digital radios, landline telephones and other modern paraphernalia set against the backdrop of antique furniture and tapestry that was crafted hundreds of years ago. The tour doesn’t include all of the rooms but you see enough to feel that you’ve received a little ‘extra’ beyond the standard tour of the adjacent state rooms open to the public. Taking photos wasn’t permitted on this tour so unfortunately we can’t show you any details.
The tour of the palace state rooms was very impressive. Every piece of furniture, tapestry, portrait and clock seems to have a story behind it… the tour guide was great at explaining everything in great detail and bringing the stories to life. We were particularly impressed with the collection of fine porcelain (the Marlborough family appear to have a notable preference for Meissen) and a very detailed clock that was made in 1696. The final room is the library which, surprisingly, also hosts a magnificent floor-to-ceiling organ.
Also, worth noting: the Marlborough family still use the dining room in the heart of the palace for their Christmas dinners! (so we were told).
For more information on Blenheim Palace visit www.blenheimpalace.com