THE PRIVATE apartments of the Duke of Marlborough will be open to the public during a new tour at Blenheim Palace.
From now until September, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the east wing of the palace where Charles James Spencer-Churchill, the 12th Duke of Marlborough, lives with his family when staying there.
Following the death of his father, the 11th Duke John Spencer-Churchill on October 16 last year, there was some doubt as to whether the former Marquess of Blandford would inherit the title and the palace following a chequered past.
But in October 2014, the trustees of the palace confirmed he had inherited the titles and would be make the palace his family home.
Our top stories
Visitors on the new tour will be able to discover the opulence of the rooms where the Duke resides, and learn about family life at Blenheim Palace.
Palace spokeswoman Melodie Manners said: “Entering the apartments is much less grand than the usual visitor entrance. But the rooms have a mix of precious antiques, tapestries and artworks among modern living items and family photos.”
Among the attractions is the Billiard Room, which features a full size snooker table sat within deer heads – an example of antique taxidermy.
Visitors will also get to see the China room, stacked from floor to ceiling with the Blenheim Palace dinner services over the years.
And fans of Downton Abbey will get to experience the upstairs downstairs features of the Palace, with a behind-thescenes look at staff quarters.
Private apartments at Blenheim Palace.
This includes the cold room and the flower room, as well as the servants bells and the back stairs only used by the servants.
The smoking room contains full size tapestries from the Alexandra the Great series that were commissioned by the 1st Duke, John Churchill, who lived from 1650-1722 and visitors will be able to see the private dining room, with its mahogany George III dining table set for dinner and the arts of war set of tapestries surrounding it.
Another highlight of the tour will be the visitors’ book that will be on display, turned to the page signed by Sir Winston Churchill and his future wife Clementine just after their engagement in 1908.
The servants’ bells which will be seen by visitors as they take in the behind-the-scenes staff area.
During the 11th Duke of Marlborough’s time at the palace, the house and grounds were opened up to the public and declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.
Guests can book the tour at the palace’s visitor information point, or the Great Hall on the day.
It is included in the price of a ticket to the palace park and gardens.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here