BLENHEIM PALACE AND PARK 



BY THE EDITOR. 



THE student of landscape gardening in 

 Ontario can learn many useful les- 

 sons from the fine old parks of England. 

 There you see grand old elms, oaks, lindens 

 and other trees in their full development of 

 beauty ; the carriage drives approach the 

 mansion in graceful curves, over artistic 

 bridges, with fine vistas opening at inter- 



FiG. 2751. Blenheim Palace. 



vals ; and the open green sward of large ex- 

 tent gives interest and variety. Such a 

 park is that at Blenheim, which was visited 

 by the writer in the summer of 1903. It is 

 situated about eight miles from Oxford and 

 close to the town of Woodstock, and con- 

 tains one of the finest mansions in Great 

 Britain. According to the Economist the 

 forest of Woodstock many years since con- 

 tained a house to which Alfred the Great 

 often retired, and which was built by Henry 

 I. Henry II. often resided at this retreat 

 in the forest of 22,000 acres, and here was 

 hidden his favorite, " Fair Rosamond." The 

 estate was at length granted by the crown to 

 John Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough, 

 and Parliament, as a token of gratitude for 

 services in the wars of the Low Countries, 

 granted a sum of £240,000 with which to 



build a mansion on the estate. Designed 

 by Sir John Vanburgh, the palace — for such 

 it is — is constructed in the most sumptuous 

 style. Among the more conspicuous fea- 

 tures are the Corinthian portico, which is 

 beautifully proportioned, the great hall, (yj 

 feet in height, and the library, a magnificent 

 chamber, 184 feet by 31 feet 9 inches. In 

 this last is a beautiful statue of Queen Arnie, 

 by Rysbrack, while some of the finest paint- 

 ings by Rubens, which were presented to the 

 great duke by the States of Holland adorn 

 the walls. 



The park is very extensive, and contains 

 a large sheet of water comprising 132 acres, 



Fig. 2752. A View in Blenheim Park. 



crossed by a massive bridge of stone of such 

 imposing dimensions that the centre arch 

 has a span of over 100 feet. 



Unfortunately our visit was not on the 

 right day of the week for admission to the 

 interior of the palace, but the gardener 

 showed us the dairy with great pride ; and, 

 while we waited at the porter's office, we had 

 a good view of the Duchess of Marlboro, 

 formerly Miss Vanderbilt, of New York 

 City. 



