SUf^PLEJUUJVr  TO 
March  9,  1899. 
1112  JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
BLENHEIM. 
'rojall  horticulturists  the  name  ot  Blenheim  will  he  familiar  as 
referring  to  one  of  the  most  celebrated  estates  in  the  country ;  while 
to  students  of  history  it  recalls  the  glorious  victory  that  was  gained 
hy  British  arms  under  the  first  Duke  of  IMarlborough  at  the  battle  of 
Blenheim.  The  demesne  is  so  crowded  with  historical  interest  that  a 
few  notes  must  be  given  on  this  aspect,  relative  to  which  we  cannot  do 
better  than  let  Mr.  John  E.  Jefferies  of  Oxford  speak,  for  no  one  in 
the  horticultural  world  is  better  qualified  for  the  task. 
“  It  may  be  said  of  Blenheim  that  its  stately  grandeur  is  of  univer¬ 
sal  fame.  The  historical  associations  that  are  remembered  therewith, 
as  well  as  its  impressive  appearance  from  various  points  of  view,  invest 
it  with  an  interest  and  charm  that  in  a  measure  correspond  with  its 
fame  ;  indeed,  it  is  a  ]ilace  of  permanent  interest  to  visitors  from  far 
and  wide.  The  park,  2700  acres  in  extent,  with  a  circuit  of  about 
twelve  miles,  and  the  palace  covering  three  acres  of  ground,  represent 
a  nation’s  reward  to  John,  Duke  of  Marlborough,  in  the  reign  of  Queen 
Anne,  for  victories  gained  during  the  wars  of  the  earlier  part  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  The  Parliament  of  the  day  voted  a  grant  of  half 
On  entering  the  park  from  this  point,  a  view  of  the  palace  is  obtained 
with  a  part  of  the  lake,  250  acres  in  extent,  that  until  recently  contained  a 
vast  accumulation  of  aquatic  weeds,  which  seemed  as  though  thej^ 
would  become  a  permanent  disfigurement.  To  eradicate  them  was  a 
work  of  great  magnitude.  However,  it  w'as  laudably  undertaken  by  the 
present  Duke  of  Marlborough,  who  should  be  congratulated  on  the  great 
improvement  tliat  has  been  effected  in  satisfactorily  accomplishing 
a  work  that  somnnilestly  enhances  the  grandeur  of  this  historic  domain. 
Now  the  lake  is  a  charming  feature  in  a  most  pleasing  landscape  as 
viewed  from  the  broad  carriage  drive  at  an  elevation  of  more  than 
100  feet  above  its  surface,  "with  the  <listant  massive  stone  bridge  and 
the  extensive  woods  that  reach  far  beyond,  completing  the  beauty  of 
the  picturesque  scenery.  The  water  is  supplied  by  the  river  Glyme, 
which,  after  flowdng  through  the  estate,  joins  the  Evenlode,  and  is 
finally  discharged  into  the  Thames  a  few  miles  distant.  The  genius 
of  “  Capability  ”  Brown  transformed  what  was  here  a  mere  rivulet  into 
an  extensive  lake,  and  its  formation  may  he  regarded  as  one  of  the 
chief  accomplishments  wdthwdiich  his  name  is  associated.  The  cascade 
at  the  lower  end  of  the  lake  forms  an  appropriate  addition,  and  is  a 
good  example  of  this  description  of  construction,  and  does  much  to 
heighten  the  effect  of  the  surroundings.” 
Pig.  15.— BJ.ENHEIM  PALACE,  NOETII  FRONT. 
a  million  of  money  for  this  purpose,  and  the  erection  of  the  palace 
was  commenced  in  1705  from  designs  prejiared  by  Sir  John  A^anbrugh, 
■but  the  Duke  died  in  1722  without  having  resided  in  the  mansion.  ■ 
“  The  domain  is  distant  from  Oxford  eight  miles  and  is  contiguous 
to  the  town  of  Woodstock,  a  favourite  forest  retreat  of  the  Saxon  kings 
in  the  ninth  century,  where,  in  866,  it  is  recorded,  Ethdred,  brother  of 
Alfred  the  Great,  built  a  palace  in  the  park  that  became  the  birthplace 
and  residence  of  future  monarchs.  It  was  here  that,  it  i-  said,  Kmg 
Alfred  translated  a  classic  of  Boethius,  ‘  De  Consolatione  Philoso¬ 
phise,’  an  edition  of  which,  edited  from  the  MSS,  is  just  issued  from 
the  Clarendon  Press,  Oxford.  The  ancient  palace,  ab hough  sought 
to  be  preserved  by  Vanbrugh,  was  demolished  by  commaud  of  the 
Duchess  in  1709.  It  was  situated  a  short  distance  from  Rosamond’s 
Well,  which  is  still  a  never  failing  spring,  and  is  -to  be  seen  sur¬ 
rounded  with  masonry  surmounted  with  an  iron  railing.  Ros  imond’s 
residence  was  outside  the  park  wall,  and  is  su|  posed  to  have  been 
approached  by  a  ttinnel  ;  it  was  ordered  to  he  restored  by  Edward  HI., 
who,  for  a  few  years  after  his  marriage,  resided  princqtally  at  Woodstock. 
“  Blenheim  Palace  is  approached  from  various  directions,  the  two 
principal  entrances  being  from  the  town.  Thatust  d  by  the  public  is 
through  the  triumphal  arch,  which  is  of  the  Corinthian  order  of  archi¬ 
tecture,  erected  by  order  of  Sarah  Duchess  of  Marlborough,  in  1723. 
Such  is  an  outline  of  historical  Blenheim.  Pages  might  have  been 
written  with  the  greatest  ease,  but  Mr.  Jefferies,  having  sifted  the  grain, 
gives  no  chaff,  and  so  we  may  now,  except  for  one  point,  leave  it  and 
turn  to  other  features.  In  his  concluding  paragraph  our  contributor 
adverts  to  the  Glyme  as  a  rivulet  converted  into  a  lake.  There  has 
always  been  some  question  as  to  whether  there  was  not  always  a  lake 
between  the  mound  on  which  stood  the  ancient  Manor  of  Woodstock 
and  the  rising  ground  that  is  surmounted  by  the  palace.  After  closely 
examining  an  old  print  of  the  park  as  it  was  said  to  be  in  about  1700, 
one  is  convinced  that  Mr.  Jefferies  is  correct  in  his  assumption,  as  the 
course  of  the  Giyme  can  be  readily  traced  as  it  winds  through 
the  meadow.  The  palace  itself  stands  magnificently,  and  considering 
the  area  of  ground  covered,  it  is  needless  to  say  that  it  is  imposing, 
though  perhaps  somewhat  too  dwarf  and  flat  to  be  really  grand. 
Pass  we  now  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Thos.  AVhillans,  who  has  been 
located  for  a  dozen  years,  and  whose  charge,  which  reaches  a  total  of 
about  133  acres,  includes  pleasure  grounds,  flower  and  vegetable  gardens, 
with  numerous  glass  structures.  From  the  palace  to  the  gardens  one 
must  traverse  hill  and  vale  for  about  a  mile,  but  that  distance  is  likely 
to  be  indefinitely  extended  to  the  visitor  whose  tastes  are  either  horti- 
or  abori-cultural.  From  the  latter  aspect  both  the  greater  and  the  lesser 
parks  are  peculiarly  rich,  though  not  so  much  in  variety  as  in  the 
excellence  of  the  species  that  thrive.  Oaks,  for  example,  are  seen  in 
