Learn about Blenheim Palace and find things to do there
Here are 20 interesting facts about Blenheim Palace you may not have known. Learn more about the palace and what to do there with this guide and make the most of your visit.
• Places to go • Oct 10, 2022 • 10 mins
Here are 20 interesting facts about Blenheim Palace you may not have known. Learn more about the palace and what to do there with this guide and make the most of your visit.
Blenheim Palace makes a great day out for the whole family. Located in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, it's one of largest houses in England and the only palace not directly associated with the Royal Family. In 1987, it became a UNESCO world heritage site and today, 2000 acres of beautiful grounds provide the ideal place to relax. For those wanting to make the most of their day, there are a number of parks and gardens surrounding the palace which are included in the entry fee. There are also a number of footpaths and public rights of way through the Great Park area of the grounds for everyone to enjoy time outside.
Learn more about this beautiful building with these interesting facts and find exciting things to do within the grounds at the bottom of this page.
Blenheim Palace
“It's the only building in England other than royal buildings to be lucky enough to own the title of 'Palace'.”
“Servants wages – In the time of the 1st Duchess a Laundry maids salary was only £6 per year!”
Blenheim Palace lake
The palace park is home to one of Europe’s largest collections of oak trees with 60 of the oaks being over 9000 years old! They are great to hide behind, run around and wander through, so grab your walking boots, head into the woods and have a really good game of hide and seek!
Oak trees at Blenheim Palace
The beautiful lake which is well worth a wander around. A quick 45-minute circular walk will take you to some of the best views. A range of terrain takes you past the boat house and provides outstanding views of the beautiful water terraces. For more information on this trail visit the Blenheim Palace website
Alternatively try your luck at coarse fishing in the grand lake which is open from June till March. Bring along your fishing equipment, hire a boat and set out for a first class fishing experience.
Within the grounds, you'll find a miniature train railway which provides pleasure trips to the pleasure gardens. For a small charge you can hop on the train and take a ride whilst soaking up the beautiful scenes of the grounds. The kids are bound to love it!
Railway at Blenheim Palace
Do you think you can navigate your way through 3000 yew hedges? The marlborough hedge maze is one of the largest hedge mazes in the world, at 1.8 acres, the maze really is not one to be missed. The wooden bridges provide an intermittent view of the amazingly sculptured hedges which are shaped in the shapes of cannon balls, trumpets and flags. Don't get lost and be sure to take an OS map!
Fun Fact: It takes a full week and the effort of 6 people with hedge trimmers to be able to give the maze its' yearly trim!
Maze at Blenheim Palace
The butterfly house is full of exotic species of butterflies which you can watch fly and which you can get right up close to. Welcomed in from Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, these rare species of butterflies now live in this beautiful tropical environment and are available for the public to go and view. Take a visit to these beautiful insects and if you are lucky you might even get one to land on you!
There is a whole variety of fantastic gardens to visit at Blenheim, perfect for either letting off some steam or taking a peaceful moment to yourself. Split into formal gardens and pleasure gardens there is something to suit every member of the family, whether it be walking round the lavender garden, relaxing by the water features, playing in the adventure playground or enjoying the amazing smells of the rose garden.
Check out our best recommendations for which gardens to visit below.
Palace gardens
Built originally as a private garden for the Duke in 1952, the secret garden is just waiting to host your adventures. The three acre site has winding paths, pools, streams and a whole variety of colourful plants for you to enjoy. It is the perfect place to wander around, remove yourself from the real world and have your own little adventure.
The Secret Garden at Blenheim Palace
Visit the beautiful garden created in memory of the great Winston Churchill. Built next to the temple where Churchill proposed to his wife, the garden is a great combination of history and horticulture. You can test your history knowledge with the walk-able timeline of Churchills life and achievements whilst enjoying the beautiful flower beds which line the winding pathway.
The Churchill Memorial Garden at Blenheim Palace
We hope this gives you a taster of Blenheim Palace and its beautiful grounds so you can visit with your family and friends. There are a number of events held here throughout the year including the popular Christmas at Blenheim. The parks and gardens, in particular, make a great day outside and you can find a network of publicly accessible walking trails nearby.
Be inspired to do more and go further by equipping yourself with the best tools for the job. Our maps are built on 220 years of experience - we keep walkers, runners, cyclists and more safe in the great outdoors all year round.
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