Blenheim Palace

Last week was very busy with work but I managed to submitted my last astronomy paper and got the amazing news that my (honorary) nephew had been born and both mom and baby were doing well. So on Friday night I celebrated. (Though after said busy week, I was still in bed for 9pm!)

Celebrations.

On Saturday I got the bus out to Blenhiem Palace in Woodstock. It was quite a long walk from the road to the palace.

And we're walking...

Arrived.

Blenheim was the home of Winston Churchill, though built centuries before and lived in since. The land was given to the family as a gift by the King for helping him win a battle (in Blenheim) against the French. Hence the name. The current Duke only lives there some of the time as despite the place being huge, there is room for him but nowhere for his family to stay. (I didn't understand that.)

In the court yard

Entry.

It didn't all fit in shot.

You can just pay to go around the gardens (which are huge) but it was chilly so I paid to go around the palace as well. There is a Winston Churchill exhibition, which I honestly didn't see much of. It was packed. The exhibit is in very narrow rooms and it was a reasonably busy day. People were pushing and shoving, and there were an elderly Chinese couple who did not play by the English rules of queuing. So I got through there as quickly as possible. (I'll read a book on it.)
There is a free tour around the palace, which I took. My guide possibly knew the first Duke! But he was very sweet.

Ancient guide.

The palace was very impressive.

Great Hall

Green drawing room with lots of photos.

I just love the pug!

Subtle gold ceilings.

The red drawing room.

The greeting room was very impressive. The silver statue was of the battle that the first Duke fought against the French. I don't think it did anything but weighed 110lbs of solid silver so very shiny. (The table it is one can be extended to fit 40+ guest for dinner!)

Silver

There were also lots of glasses out. Apparently the current Duke's nephew was getting married there later that day (which explained the helicopter later and the number of toffs walking around).

A lot of washing up

Library and statue of Queen Ann.

The Palace have exhibits from artists on. I can't remember the name of the artist this year but it was some form of abstract art. They has put these phrases all over the palace. (They didn't make any sense and I wish they hadn't put them over the palace. They just made it look grubby.)

"Art"?

After the tour and managed to steal (literally) a table in the cafe and got lunch. The place was packed as no one wanted to sit outside. It was a bit cool on Saturday. But the view was good over the water gardens.

view at lunch

Water gardens

After lunch I wondered around some of the gardens. You could easily spend few days just in the gardens. Though it would be much nicer in summer!

Italian garden

My favorite was the Secret Garden. I used to love that book as a kid!

Secret garden!

Roman warrior.

There were lots of little turns, hidden benches, small pathways and hidden bridges.

Bridge

At the centre (at least I think it was the centre) was a gazebo covered with climbing plants which were changing color for autumn.

The trees are just starting to change and some are beautiful colors.

There was also a little fish pond. Where I spent about 10 mins playing with the fish, throwing bits of leaves into the water so they think it's food and come to see. Mean, but fun!

Hello.

On the way back to the front entrance for another tour, I went through the bottom of the water gardens and more fountains and pools.

She like the fact her head was used on this 

Angel practicing her right hook!

Part of the ticket includes "The untold Story" which is an automated tour with videos and moving statues. I was a little freaked out by some as they made them so real they seemed to be breathing. Creepy. But one room told the story of the first Duke who had an affair with the King's mistress and they got found out when the King turned up and the (not yet) Duke was hiding in her wardrobe.

Caught in the act.

I wanted to see all the gardens but I was exhausted. So I took the lazy option. For only a few pounds you can get a buggy tour! I think it was designed for the elderly so they can see the gardens too, but the buggy wasn't full so I didn't feel bad for taking someones seat. And my feet really hurt by this point. The guide was very informative but drove like a crazy person. We were all clinging on for dear life and hoping he didn't run over anyone.

Where Churchill proposed to his wife-to-be.

Wild flowers

The estate was a couple of large lakes built by Capability Brown when he did most of the landscaping.

Lake

Bridge over to the pleasure gardens.

Cascades and pump house.

They dropped me off near the walkway over to Victory column, which gives a nice view of the house (which I could finally fit into a photo). I wondered over the bridge and meandered around but it was getting colder.

The Palace.

From the bridge

I debated going to see the column but frankly couldn't face more walking (I still had to get home!). I could see enough from a distance. Plus you can convert the day ticket into a free annual pass so I can go back any time in the next year and see the bits I missed.

Victory Column

I was quite lucky with the buses back and didn't have to stand in the cold for long. Plus I had leftover Chinese and wine from the night before. :) 

Around Oxford

I had to move out my apartment on Saturday (I was not sad to leave there!). I got kicked out at 9.30am and wasn't allowed into the next until 3pm. But it worked out. Thankfully they took my bags and suitcase to the second place so I could spend Saturday wandering around Oxford. 

So I spent the day slowly making my way across town to my new place, starting with the castle, which I seemed to have missed only previous visits. It didn't open until 10am but I could not find anywhere to get a cup of tea before 10am! I ended up sitting on some steps near the castle ignoring the very rude waiter who was opening the castle cafe. He slammed down the outside chairs and tables right in front of me. I wasn't doing anything wrong so I just continued to smile sweetly and read my book. (Which no doubt annoyed him further.)

Oxford castle tower.

I got on the first tour of the day so it was a small group. Afterwards I saw the people flooding in and was very happy I got there early. The tour is lead by prison guard, as  the castle was actually a prison from 1785 until 1996.

Opening the tower

The old St. George tower is still standing (built in ~1074AD) and you can climb up the top, with a thankful stop part way up to look at a cell. The castle and likely the tower was also where Empress Matilda was trapped by her cousin Stephen in her fight for her crown in 1141AD. (She snuck out in a snow storm and walked straight past Stephen troops who weren't the brightest.)

Stocks.

 The view from the top is worth the climb (up extremely steep steps).

View across oxford

The sun was still attempting to come out

Archery window  

 Coming down was more nerve wracking than going up. Suddenly you realize how steep the steps are and how small they are. My boot was bigger than some. I was very relieved to reach the bottom safely.

door heading down.

After the tower, they take you to the basement part of the old normal church (built 1072AD). It was used as their morgue and is now where, unsurprisingly, they do the ghost tours. Though as they require you to be there in the early hours of the morning, I will not be doing. I like my sleep too much.

Norma church

One of the prison wings is sill left. They converted the others into restaurants and a hotel. (Because nothing says a romantic evening more than staying in an old prison cell. Or if you are lucky where they used to do the hangings!)

Cell 

Wardens office.

 They only closed the prison in 1996, and that was because it was the worst prison in the country. Apparently they defied a few human rights (though personally I think for some they should reopen it). There was no glass in the windows so it was freezing in the winter. And there were 3 men to a room about the size of the average American walk-in closest.
The museum upstairs was interesting telling the lives of some of the prisoners and the escapees. Though at one point you had to choice to enter one of 2 doors.

Death's door. 

Or the alternative.

The ticket also includes entrance to the mound. After a tea (finally) and piece of cake, I headed up there. You have to buzz to get through the gate and are supposed to have a ticket but I think anyone who buzzed was going up.
The mound is where the oldest part of the castle used to be. It was the safest part of the original castle and the most heavily defended. It was torn down in the Civil War so King Charles II could use it as his headquarters again. It took them 5 yrs to pull down, starting 1652. Only the mound (which was man-made for the tower) and the well are left.

View from the mound

Castle court yard.

After the castle I wandered around and did some window shopping. The indoor covered markets are interesting and I'll be headed back as the food looked very nice. I did however treat myself to some Hotel Chocolat. I have missed really good chocolate. 

Treats.

I still had a few hours to kill so after lunch went to the botanical gardens, conveniently on my way and reasonably cheap to get in. I have been there before but it was in february so not as pretty.

By the river.

The green houses were very pretty.

Orchids

 And they had tones of these bug eating plants. I spent a happy few minutes looking inside them. And found one with its dinner.

Bug eating

Wasp dinner.

 They have a pretty lily pond inside one of the greenhouses.

Giant lily pads.

Reminds me of Tenerife.

 I decided not to go to the Palm room as frankly I am a little sick of Palm trees after the Palmetum visit a few months ago. (They really aren't the prettiest or most interesting of plants.) So I focused on the pretty flowers instead.

After the greenhouses, being outside was very nice. The weather wasn't great on Saturday (though it was a lot better than it is right now!). 

Gardens

Woodland

My favorite part was the Morton seed gardens at the back. Basically they threw a bunch of seeds around and left it. It looked like large patches of wild flowers, and I personally much prefer that to the throughout rigid gardens.

Walk way through the seed gardens.

The paths meander around nicely and there are plenty of tucked away benches to sit and relax in good weather. 

Having killed enough hours, I walked the rest of the way to my new apartment. It is so cute! I think it is someone's basement (though the houses here seem to have a lower level in general). But it is very nice and reminds me of a little Hobbit hole. It's small  - 2 people would have to get on very well and do some interesting choreography when both are moving around the bedroom at the same time as there isn't enough room to fully open any of the doors. 

But it is perfect for one and everything works! No more blowing down a pipe to flush the toilet. Luxury! Plus the shower is amazing. And there is a little patio and rock garden off the bedroom. Given Oxford in October, I doubt I will be using it but still it's cute. There's a note saying to keep the door shut as little frogs come to visit. I am definably going frog hunting at some point. :)

I am also conveniently right next door to a Chinese takeaway. So Saturday night was happily spent with takeaway, a bottle of wine and TV. And I spent Sunday being lazy. It has been a long time since I had a lazy day. So I managed to get all my washing done and make enough food to last for most of the week. Which is going to be needed as my commute is over 3 hrs a day. I really don't want to cook when I get back.