Small Gatehouse
Small Gatehouse
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US $25.00
Small town life in Woodstock, Oxfordshire is filled with scenic beauty and a historical and cultural significance. It is home to Blenheim Palace, the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill. Because of the historical importance of the structure, it's been designated by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site. This town of only 3,000 people is conveniently located about 73 miles west-northwest of London proper.
The town is filled with history. Edward, Prince of Wales, also known later in life as The Black Prince, was born in Woodstock in June of 1330. It was also here where Elizabeth I, probably one of the most historically significant female monarchs in English history, was kept as a prisoner for a time. As a young princess, she was confined to the gatehouse of the Woodstock Manor. The main building itself was considered too run-down a place to keep her.
Woodstock as a name goes back to the Anglo Saxon era. The town also gained its market in 1179, when a royal charter was granted. For much of its past, the town's main source of income came from the making of gloves. Today, its main industry is of course tourism.
Blenheim Palace is the main draw for tourists from all over the United Kingdom and many other parts of the world. It is a fine example of what's called Italo-Corinthian style. Historically, its construction was paid for out of the nation's own treasury. It was given to the first Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, for his victories over the French and the Bavarians at Blenheim in 1704.
The southeastern England county of Oxfordshire boasts a population of around 635,000 people. Formed in the early years of the 10th century, it is most famous for the University of Oxford, in Oxford. This university is acclaimed as the oldest of its type in the English-speaking world. Woodstock and the county of Oxfordshire offer much in the way of diverting sightseeing and recreation opportunities. Anybody traveling through this part of England will be sure to have a pleasant time.
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