Today we hit the road early for a two-hour ride to the charming countryside city of Oxford. As we drove into the city, our guide Janet pointed out the Eagle and Child Pub famous for being the meeting place of authors JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. We had a wonderful walking tour through the city and around the University of Oxford.
Founded in 1096, Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. The University does not have a main campus, but its buildings and facilities are scattered throughout the city center. Oxford has educated a wide range of notable alumni, including 31 prime ministers of the United Kingdom, as well as many heads of state and government around the globe. Just as impressive as its storied academic history are the expansive buildings that house the 43 colleges that make up the University, some of which date back to the 1300's.
After grabbing lunch and spending some "free" time exploring quaint downtown, we jumped on board the bus to take the 40 minute drive to the town of Woodstock to visit Blenheim Palace. Currently home to the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family, Blenheim Palace is also known as the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Recently used as the backdrop to hit television series Downton Abbey and Bridgerton, the Palace is named after the Battle of Blenheim and was originally intended as a reward for John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough, for his military triumph during the Battle, which took place in Germany in 1704. The land was given as a gift from Queen Anne and construction began in 1705 and lasted until 1722. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim is one of England's largest houses and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and over 2000 acres of land and is currently occupied by the 12th Duke of Marlborough and his family. After our tour of Blenheim, we boarded the bus to make the 2 hour drive back to our hotel in Kensington.
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