Oxford 2025
In May Ann’s sister Karen had a knee renewal in a hospital in Oxford. So seeing as how we were taking her there & back & visiting most days, we decided to stay in Kidlington and have a mini-break in the area. Two memorable excursions stand out – the walk in Blenheim Palace grounds and Stowe House & gardens. (OK Stowe is in Bucks rather than Oxfordshire – but never mind!)
But first was one of our favourites – Waddesdon Manor. Too many photos from previous visits, so just the Dining Room.
Blenheim Palace Grounds Walk
Stowe House and Gardens
Stowe House is now a private school which can be visited at weekends or outside term times. The house was mostly built by Sir Richard Temple in the late 17th century. It had a colourful history. The 2nd Duke of Buckingham who owned it as well as vast estates throughout England & Ireland was a notorious spendthrift accruing debts of £1.5 Million in 1845 (don’t even try to think what that would be in today’s terms) gaining the the moniker as the Greatest Debtor in the World. One amusing anecdote we were told by our informative guide was that when Queen Victoria & Prince Albert visited Stowe House in 1845, many of the Duke’s debtors turned up to keep a close eye on the Duke so that he wouldn’t abscond after the Royal visit. The lavish expenditure by the Duke on the Royal visit was the last straw. All his land, buildings & their contents were sold in the largest such house sale of the time. Eventually the house became Stowe School.
Unbeknown to Ann & me the grounds are owned & managed by the National Trust separately from the school. So after the House tour we merrily went round the grounds to see all the follies thinking it was all included in the house visit. We felt very guilty when a National Trust guide asked for our tickets. Apparently we weren’t the only ones to presume there was no extra cost in visiting the grounds.
Stowe House
Stowe Gardens
You will see more folies, monuments, temples & odd memorials in these gardens than in any other in the country – a delight to walk round.
