Page 233 - WDT Magazine Egypt

ing the War of Spanish Succession. On Aug. 13, riche Duke and Duchess were accused ofmisappropri-
1704--near a Danube village called “Blindheim” or ating funds, had a falling out with the queen, and went
“Blenheim”--he brilliantly won what became known abroad “in a sort of exile”; they didn’t return until after
as “The Battle of Blenheim” over Louis XIV’s French Queen Anne’s death in 1714)--and lack of funding for
forces. various reasons--the work was stopped in 1712.
Returning to Britain a military hero, he and his Workers weren’t being paid and, once building
wife Sarah were rewarded by being named the first resumed, in 1716, its eleventh year of construction,
Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. And promised a Sarah, the complicated, neurotic, sue-happy (she
palace in their honor, to be called Blenheim. filed over 400 lawsuits!), demanding Duchess who
Architect Sir John Vanbrugh was commissioned constantly battled Vanbrugh, exclaimed that it was “a
to build the masterpiece--with over 1500 workers- chaos which only God Almighty could finish. You’re
-which ultimately became the Migraine McMansion making this place too much of a monument! I want a
project. Due to politics and plots (in 1711 the nouveau home to live in!”
Vanbrugh quit in a rage and three years later,
in 1719, Duchess Sarah and the Duke--who vowed to
complete the palace at his own expense--moved into
a few rooms. It was finally finished in 1722, the same
year as the Duke’s death. Alas, he never saw its final
completion.
Architect Vanbrugh returned once more in 1725
to view the property but, sadly, was refused admit-
tance to the grounds. He died a year later.
Despite all the disputes, lawsuits, delays and
headaches with its construction, today Blenheim
Palace is a delight for the 250,000 tourists who visit
each year.
“Is there a palace more beautiful than Blenheim
in the UK? I think not,” says Jacque Lynn Foltyn, a
sociologist from San Diego, California. “It’s one of
my favorite places in England. I feel as if I’m traveling
back in time. . . .
“The red and gold of the palace’s interior, the
portrait
galleries, the collections of china and porcelain, the
intimate seating
arrangements in the various salons that are still
used by the family for parties all beguiled me. I loved
seeing the bed Winston Churchill was born in!”
In fact, Churchill was born in the “Dean Jones
Room”--named after the first Duke’s former chaplain.
It was later said to be haunted by his ghost--who re-
portedly never appeared again after Churchill arrived!
Another Blenheim Palace fan is retired airline
captain Brian Grant, also of San Diego: “Blenheim Pal-
ace is magnificent,” he says, “architecturally resplend-
ent as well as a landscaped marvel (due to the talent of
Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown). As a retired military pro-

WINEDINEANDTRAVEL.COM233