Blenheim Palace and its back forty
On Wednesday we went to visit Blenheim Palace, where Churchill was born and where he proposed to his wife. It's an elaborate palace surrounded by lavish gardens and a beautiful estate. But the entrance fee is pretty high. So we were very happy when, at St. Ebbe's Bible study the night before, Reuben (our Bible study leader) said, "Have you heard how to get into Blenheim Estate for free? It's perfectly legal."
And that was where the adventure began. Wednesday morning we caught a bus to the little village of Woodstock and started looking for the Green Gate that would let us in for free. Apparently the public has right of access onto the estate (not the house itself), but you have to know which gate to use. We wandered past tea shops and through alleys and past the ancient stone church. Finally, in a stone wall by the road, there was an unmarked gate. And it was Green. We tried the latch and it opened, and there we were, in Blenheim.
There's a road that winds through Blenheim's sheep pastures, past the Monument of Victory erected to a former Duke of Marlborough, over the big stone bridge across the lake, and right up to the palace's front gate. (Okay, so I was tempted to climb the gate, just for fun.) We got lots of pictures, had a picnic lunch, and even visited the estate gift shop. On our way back we hopped the electric fence and traipsed through the sheep pastures (you have to be careful where you step when you do that), which, again, was perfectly legal. It would have felt exactly like Lizzie Bennet visiting Pemberly, except that Mr. Darcy wasn't home.
And speaking of Lizzie Bennet, the new Pride and Prejudice is out in the UK. Mary, Laura and I went ballroom dancing in one of the colleges and then over to a little Oxford theatre to see the movie. I liked it better than I thought I would. (The ballroom dancing was fun too, even if I did end up dancing with another girl for most of the class, until she had to leave early and the class intructor led me in sweeping steps across the floor for a few delightful seconds. :-) )
And that was where the adventure began. Wednesday morning we caught a bus to the little village of Woodstock and started looking for the Green Gate that would let us in for free. Apparently the public has right of access onto the estate (not the house itself), but you have to know which gate to use. We wandered past tea shops and through alleys and past the ancient stone church. Finally, in a stone wall by the road, there was an unmarked gate. And it was Green. We tried the latch and it opened, and there we were, in Blenheim.
There's a road that winds through Blenheim's sheep pastures, past the Monument of Victory erected to a former Duke of Marlborough, over the big stone bridge across the lake, and right up to the palace's front gate. (Okay, so I was tempted to climb the gate, just for fun.) We got lots of pictures, had a picnic lunch, and even visited the estate gift shop. On our way back we hopped the electric fence and traipsed through the sheep pastures (you have to be careful where you step when you do that), which, again, was perfectly legal. It would have felt exactly like Lizzie Bennet visiting Pemberly, except that Mr. Darcy wasn't home.
And speaking of Lizzie Bennet, the new Pride and Prejudice is out in the UK. Mary, Laura and I went ballroom dancing in one of the colleges and then over to a little Oxford theatre to see the movie. I liked it better than I thought I would. (The ballroom dancing was fun too, even if I did end up dancing with another girl for most of the class, until she had to leave early and the class intructor led me in sweeping steps across the floor for a few delightful seconds. :-) )
1 Comments:
I can't wait 'til you get home, and I can come visit and hear stories and look at pictures... Wish I was there with you!
LOVE, Christi
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