TOUR 5: OXFORD, BLENHEIM PALACE & STRATFORD-UPON-AVON (9 HOURS)
Oxford is home to England’s oldest university and really does live up to its image of dreaming spires, lovely cloistered college grounds, as well as being home to academic treasures such as the Ashmolean Museum. Nearby Blenheim Palace was built as a “thank you” gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill for winning the battle of Blenheim in 1704, and is set in magnificent grounds, which are landscaped by renowned Lancelot “Capability” Brown. The Palace is still home to the Duke of Marlborough and was the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
Drive through the lovely Cotswold countryside to historic Stratford. Tread in William Shakespeare’s footsteps. Visit his birthplace, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Holy Trinity Church (where they are both buried) and the Memorial Theatre. A long day but definitely worth it!
More Information:
Oxford is home to England’s oldest university and really does live up to its image of ‘Dreaming Spires’ and lovely cloistered college grounds as well as being home to academic treasures such as the Ashmolean Library.
Nearby is Blenheim Palace the birthplace of Winston Churchill. This is vast and magnigicent stately home built as a ‘thank you’ by Queen Anne for John Churchill in recognition of victory at Blenheim in 1704 and is still home to the Dukes of Marlborough.
Oxford, Founded in the 9th century when Alfred the Great created a network of fortified towns called burghs across his kingdom. One of these was at Oxford. There may have been a village already existing there or Alfred may have created a new town. The streets of Oxford were in a regular pattern suggesting a new town but we are not certain.
Blenheim Palace, Designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and Sir John Vanbrugh and on 30th November 1874 was the birthplace of Winston Churchill, Britain’s World War II leader. Winston Churchill was born in the suite of rooms that lie to the west of the Great Hall. These rooms house the Churchill Exhibition that give a fascinating insight into his life.
The Ashmolean Library, The Ashmolean Museum was situated on Broad Street from 1683 to 1894. When AJ Evans became Keeper in 1884 the Museum building was overcrowded and unsuitable for the purpose of exhibiting the many collections bequeathed to the University. Until the construction of the University Museum and the Pitt-Rivers Museum, in 1860 and 1883 respectively, all ethnographical and biological collections had been deposited in either the Bodleian Library or the Ashmolean, as well as many collections of artistic or archaeological importance.
