Discover 7 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Woodstock (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Blenheim Palace, St Martin's Church, and The Oxfordshire Museum. Also, be sure to include Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Woodstock (England).
Table of Contents
Blenheim Palace
Extravagant Baroque palace and grounds. Blenheim Palace is a country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between 1705 and 1722, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The palace is named after the 1704 Battle of Blenheim, and thus ultimately after Blindheim in Bavaria. It was originally intended to be a reward to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough for his military triumphs against the French and Bavarians in the War of the Spanish Succession, culminating in the Battle of Blenheim. The land was given as a gift, and construction began in 1705, with some financial support from Queen Anne. The project soon became the subject of political infighting, with the Crown cancelling further financial support in 1712, Marlborough's three-year voluntary exile to the Continent, the fall from influence of his duchy and lasting damage to the reputation of the architect Sir John Vanbrugh.
Designed in the rare, and short-lived, English Baroque style, architectural appreciation of the palace is as divided today as it was in the 1720s. It is unique in its combined use as a family home, mausoleum and national monument. The palace is notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill.
Following the palace's completion, it became the home of the Churchill family for the next 300 years, and various members of the family have wrought changes to the interiors, park and gardens. At the end of the 19th century, the palace was saved from ruin by funds gained from the 9th Duke of Marlborough's marriage to American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt.[1]
Address: Blenheim Palace, OX20 1PX Woodstock
St Martin's Church
Anglican church in Bladon, England. St Martin's Church in Bladon near Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, is the Church of England parish church of Bladon-with-Woodstock. It is also the mother church of St Mary Magdalene at Woodstock, which was originally a chapel of ease. It is best known for the graves of the Spencer-Churchill family, including Sir Winston Churchill, in its churchyard.[2]
Address: Church St, OX20 1RS Woodstock
The Oxfordshire Museum
Museum in Woodstock, England. The Oxfordshire Museum is in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, located in Fletcher's House, Park Street, opposite the Bear Hotel. It is a regional museum covering the county of Oxfordshire. The museum is located on the edge of the Cotswolds.
The museum features collections of local history, art, archaeology, the landscape and wildlife relating to the county of Oxfordshire, and to the town of Woodstock in particular. The museum is run by Oxfordshire County Council and is located in a large historic house, Fletcher's House, in the centre of Woodstock. The museum has 11 galleries. There is also a coffee shop and a large garden behind the museum, which includes a Dinosaur Garden, displaying megalosaur footprints found in a limestone quarry near Ardley.
Admission is free.
In 2014, the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum (SOFO) was opened in the grounds of the museum. In 2021, SOFO launched a crowdfunding campaign for seven weeks to build a life-size WW2 Anderson Shelter.[3]
Address: Park Street, OX20 1HJ Woodstock
Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum
Museum in Woodstock, England. The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum is a military museum in the town of Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, north of Oxford. The museum is on the edge of the Cotswolds.[4]
Address: Fletchers House Park Street, OX20 1SN Woodstock
Bladon
Village in England. Bladon is a village and civil parish on the River Glyme about 6+1⁄2 miles northwest of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, notable as the burial place of Sir Winston Churchill. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 898.[5]
Church of Saint Mary Magdalene
Church
Address: Park Street, Woodstock
Woodstock Youth Centre
Address: Recreation Rd, Woodstock