Kellys_Berks_Bucks&Oxon_1915_0849.jpg

directory .]

OXFORDSHIRE.

B L E T C H IN G T O N .

53

number ofportraits and various paintings by oldmasters. Charles, eighth Duke of Marlborough, who died 9 Nov.
The grand cabinet is a magnificent apartment opening 1892. Among the former treasures of Blenheim was a
lo the east and south, and is enriched with pictures by unique
collection of mythological paintings on leather,
Rubens, Carlo Dolci, Reynolds, Vandyck, Kneller and generally attributed to Titian, but assigned by other
others; the large drawing-room has a superb alto- authorities to Alessandro Varotari (Padovanino): after
relievo over the chimneypiece, copied from the antique, remaining on view from 1788 to 1861, the whole series,
and representing the marriage of Cupid and Psyche, together with Rubens’ “Rape of Proserpine,” a magni­
and the walls of this apartment, as well as those ficent work, 8ft. 8in. in height, was unfortunately des­
,,fthe dining-room, are hung with tapestry; the saloon, troyed by fire, February 5th, 1861. The gardens, cover­
occupying the entire breadth of the central portion ing a space of 108 acres, are disposed around the south,
of the palace, forms a parallelogram, and has an oval east and west fronts, descending on the west side to the
ceiling, painted by La Guerre; the state drawing­ lake;
were laid out by Mr. Wise in 1704, and sub­
rooms contain tapestry representing the military achieve­ sequentand
ly improved and enlarged by Mr. Lancelot (“Ca­
ments of the great duke, including the battles of Dun- pability
”)
Brown; they include an Italian garden, with
newert, or Donauwerth, July 3rd, 1704 5 Lisle, December
extensive conservatory, private gardens, and a rustic
9th, 1708; Malplaquet, September nth, 1709;Bouthain, an
temple, a rosery, and an American garden ; descending
September 13th, 1711; and Oudenarde, July nth, 1708,
into the valley, the Grand Cascade is approached,
and paintings by Ricci and others; the original vote of hence
the waters of which falling down a rugged declivity are
thanks to the duke from the House of Lords and his discharged into the Evenlode. The lake, designed by
famous dispatch to the Queen from the field of Blenheim, Brown, covers a space of 130 acres, and in the centre is a
are preserved in the palace. The library, originally in­ grand bridge, consisting of one centre arch 101 feet span
tended for a picture gallery, and occupying the entire and two small side arches, with rusticated abutments,
south-west front, is 184 feet in length, with a central having chambers within, formerly accessible from the
-width of 31ft. 9in. and contains the busts of Charles, park;
lake is formed by the river Glyme, which runs
Earl of Sunderland, and Charles Spencer, Duke of Marl­ into ththe
Evenlode, a feeder of the Isis: near the grand
borough, by Bysbrach; at the upper end of the chamber bridge e
i
s
Queen
lizabeth’s Island ;at the north end ofthe
isa statue of Queen Anne in her coronation robes, also bridge isthesiteE
by aclump of beech trees, ofthe
by Rysbrach, which cost 5,000 guineas; at the lower ancient palace of,marked
the scene of many historic
end is a marble bust of John, Duke of Marlborough, in events, and in Woodstock,
which Queen Elizabeth was once a
plate armour; a fine telescope, presented to George prisoner; in the rock gardens, ruggedly picturesque
Spencer, 3rd duke, by George III. is also placed here, with their moss-grown boulders and grottoes, are culti­
and on the walls are portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller. vated many rare Alpine plants; the kitchen gardens are
The palace also contains an extremely fine and valuable 12 acres in extent, and there is an arboretum, inclosing
collection of MSS. including letters and autographs, a small lake, in which various aquatic plants are grown.
several Royal Charters, documents relating to the Civil In the gardens are two temples, dedicated respectively
War, Hare’s MS. journal of the campaigns of the Duke t
o Diana and Hygeia; the former, designed by Sir
ofMarlborough, and an immense collection of letters and William
Chambers, is of the Ionic order; the latter,
papers, constituting the transactions of the duke with e
rected to commemorate the restoration to health of
innumerable personages at home and abroad, together George
I
I
I. is Corinthian. South-west of the palace is
-withthe correspondence of Queen Anne with theduchess, High Lodge,
an ancient battlemented pile, once theresi­
and many autograph letters to the latter from eminent dence of the ranger of Woodstock Park ; the notorious
literary men. The chapel, situated in the west wing, John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, who was ranger in the
isapproached by a piazza; the most interesting feature reign of Charles II. died here July 26th, 1680, and was
ofits grand interior is the superb marble monument to buried at Spelsbury. The park contains 2,424 acres, its
the Duke of Marlborough and his two sons, which oc­ entire circuit being not less than 9 miles ; it is divided
cupies nearly the whole of one side of the chapel, and into two portions, the Great or High Park and the Home
was erected by the duchess in 1733, who, at her death or Little Park, and is interspersed with much venerable
¡n1744, was also commemorated upon it; the monument timber; the palace and gardens are open to the public
includes colossal statues of the duke and duchess and on Tuesdays and Fridays (the former from 12 till3 and
their two sons, attended by Fame and History ; on the the latter from 12 till4) from May to September, a
base is a basso-relievo representing the surrender cf charge of is. being made for tickets, the proceeds of
Marshal Tallard at the battle of Blenheim; in the vault which are given to the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, and
in this chapel are deposited the remains of the duke, other local charities. The Duke of Marlborough K.G.,
who died at Windsor, June 16th, 1722, and was interred P.C is lord of the manor and sole landowner. The soil
«n (August 9th in Westminster Abbey, but on the death is light; subsoil, stone brash. The land is partly
of the duchess, October 18th, 1744, his body was re­ arable, but consists entirely of the magnificent park
moved here: beside the first duke and duchess, there attached to the palace. The area is 2,139 acres of land
were also buried in the same vault William Godolphin. and 131 of Avater; rateable value, £2,440 ; the popula­
Marquess of Blandford, d. 24 Aug. 1731 ; Charles, 1st tion in 1911 was 162.
.0 Marlborough of the Spencer family, d. 20 Oct.
That part of Blenheim parish comprising the former
and Lady Elizabeth (Trevor), his wife, d. 7 Oct. civil parish of Blenheim Park is reputed to be extraalso George, 2nd duke of that family, d. 29 June, parochial for ecclesiastical purposes.
«17, and Lady Caroline (Russell), his wife, d. 26 Nov. Letters through Woodstock, which is the nearest post,
n , their eldest daughter, Caroline, wife of Henry,
money order & telegraph office
™ Viscount Clifden, d. 23 Nov. 1813, besides others of The children of the parish attend the schools at Woodme family; the fine oak pulpit „as erected by George
stock, Bladon & Combe
, , ,,
p e iv a t e r e s id e n t s .
Evetts Mrs. North lodge
Gowin Harry, farm bailiff to the
.Marlborough Duke ofE.G., P.O.,J.P. Palmer John William, Home lodge
Dukt
Blenheim palace; 15 Great College
C O M M E R C IA L .
Hunter Geo. head gardnr.to the Duke
ilrt.i WMtannster & Carlton Gavin William, agricultural expert to Palmer John William, estate agent to
'lob S W, London
the Duke, Park farm
the Duke
<'0r ®lechingdon) is a parish and chaplain in ordinary to Chas. II. and canon of Canter­
west
lii a statl°n at “Gibraltar,” about
miles bury, who died June 23, 1707; the stained east window
Great
and Birmingham section of the and reredos are memorials to the Rev. Thomas Dand
Oxford . ! !! railway, and is 7 miles north from M.A. rector here, 1846, until his death, 5 Feb. 1868; in
division of t! sonth-west from Bicester, in the Mid the south wall of the nave is a stained window to
division of pi a?unt>'< hundred and petty sessional the memory of Arthur, 4th Viscount Valentia, who
nf Bicester ljU?bIey, union and county court district died 30 Dec. 1863: in the chancel are memorial win­
a»i diocese of rh-TT5, t IsIip’and archdeaconry dows to Flora Mary (Macdonald), widow of the Hon.
‘bo OxfSd
Oxford. The river Cherwell and Arthur Annesley (d. 2 7 Oct. 1844), an^ afterwards wife
church of a, ??., pass th™ugh the parish. The of Maj.-Gen. Hon. G. T. Devereux J.P. ; she died 5 Nov.
is a builHinrr’ t a ’ situated in Bletchington Park, 1884; and to the Hon. Eva (Annesley). widow of the
in the.Perpendicular late Sir Henry Robinson K.C.B. (d/1893); she died
Porch a n d ° f chance1' nave, north aisle, south July, 1894: the church was restored in 1878. at a cost
^rmountPri h,
tower with
of £1,600, including the erection of a north aisle; it
vane
ing S bells• tv,3 pyramidal ro°f with v
s and contain- now affords 250 sittings, 130 being free. The register
the pulpit'ami * east and west windows are Decorated : dates from the year 155 9- ^'^ie living is a rectory, net
the porch ditp* f6n S6fuS 316 of the time ofJamesI.and yearly value £350, including 206 acres of glebe/ with
sl
i J es from the v 1695 : in the chancel are residence, in the gift of the Provost and Fellows of
sev’era
Memorial™toUTM,ntS
-^he CoShill family, and a Queen’s College, Oxford, and held since 1899 by the Rev.
to John Mill D.D. rector here Horn 1681, C
harles James Ball M.A., D.Litt. of that college. Here