Waving goodbye to Oxford, we board our private coach for a scenic drive through the lush landscape of the Cotswolds to Blenheim Palace. This monster construction is the only palace in England that is neither royal nor episcopal, built on the site of the old royal enclave of Woodstock. Funded by Queen Anne, it was built by her confidante Sarah Churchill and Sarah’s husband, the Duke of Marlborough (an event familiar to fans of the 2018 movie The Favourite, starring Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz). When they fell from favour the Queen stopped paying, but they still created sumptuous staterooms and private apartments, servants' quarters, formal gardens and an elegant park and lake. Winston Churchill was born here, by mistake, when his mother was attending a ball.
On route to Blenheim, we will pop into the tiny village of Bladon for a short visit to Winston Churchill’s final resting place. There's something very moving about St Martin's Church, with its peaceful country graveyard made remarkable by the presence of the Spencer-Churchills' family plot. Winston Churchill turned down a Westminster Abbey burial in favour of a grave here, near to that of his parents and wider family.
Guess who lives in the neighbourhood? Our friend and best-selling author, Ross King, who happens to be writing his next novel - spotlighting Winston Churchill. What luck! Ross has graciously invited us over to his home this afternoon for a cream tea in his garden and an engaging talk about his current project. How marvelous!
On route to our hotel, make a whistlestop at Burford, a mediaeval town made rich on the profits of wool. Its church and many of its buildings are of dark-gold Taynton stone, which is quarried just two miles away and centuries later was used in the construction of St Paul's Cathedral. The High Street swoops down to the river Windrush, dotted with shops and cafes.
Next, check into our boutique hotel, dating back to 1649, set on eight acres of lawns and grandiose gardens. It's near the villages of Upper and Lower Slaughter, at the centre of a network of lovely walks, with glorious countryside all around. Enjoy drinks on the lawn, weather permitting, followed by dinner in their critically acclaimed restaurant.
LORDS OF THE MANOR (B, Afternoon Tea, R, D )