Day Fifteen 26th July 2010 - Blenheim Palace / Oxford

Built in 1704 and completed in 1722 as a gift for John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, for his victory at the battle of Blenheim the palace is still the family home of the 11th Duke.  Inside the the rooms are filled with riches including the tapestries that depict the campaigns of the 1st Duke.  We are guided around and get to see the bedroom where Winston Churchill was born in 1874.

The grounds of Blenheim are just as wonderful as the Palace and the water gardens are laid out with statues, fountains and a pattern of hedges.  There is plenty of ground to cover and it is no time at all before we are having our lunches in front of Vanbrugh's (Blenheim's architect) masterpiece.

Oxford's first university college was founded in the 13th century and today it boasts 39 colleges.  When we arrive we are met by our city guides who take us around this wonderful slice of academia.  The buildings all have a story to tell and each group (we are split into 6) gets the chance to go into a college.  Our group goes into Keble College, a relative newcomer to Oxford, founded in 1870! The Bodleian Library, Sheldonian Theatre, Radcliffe Camera and the Covered Market are just some of the stops we make on the tour. There is some time to get those Oxford sweatshirts and spend time in the town before meeting at the Martyrs Memorial.