July 2026
The heat has not abated, but classes in Oxford are still happening, so off I went. This year I took a course on the Monasteries of the United Kingdom. Not only was it a wonderful class, but I had no idea that the vast amount of knowledge I gained would be a great foundation for the following week spent in Wales.
A quick tour of the Oxford Castle Prison
Built around 1790, the tower was built to imprison debtors. A rare triangular stone staircase led to four floors divided into cells. Prisoners remained here until they paid their debt, meaning long stays were rather common.
Blenheim Palace
This year’s once-a-week tour was to Blenheim Palace. Time was short and the place so huge I didn’t take too many pictures.
Blenheim Palace is a country house, the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough, and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Originally called Blenheim Castle, it has been known as Blenheim Palace since the 19th century. One of England’s largest houses, it was built between 1705 and 1722, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The palace is named after the 1704 Battle of Blenheim. It was originally intended to be a reward to the 1st Duke of Marlborough for his military triumphs.
Designed by Earl of Godolphin, who placed the high altar in defiance of religious convention against the west wall, thus allowing the dominating feature to be the Duke’s gargantuan tomb and sarcophagus. Commissioned by the Duchess in 1730, it was designed by William Kent, and statues of the Duke and Duchess depicted as Caesar and Caesarina adorn the sarcophagus.
