22/08/2014 – WrAnTz

Earlier in the year, we had the rellies over from Oz. During their stay we traveled up to visit Blenheim Palace, stayed overnight in Woodstock and did a small vaguely Downton Abbey related tour of the locale. The following are a few photo’s taken over the weekend.

Winston Churchill - No visit to Blenheim is complete without an acknowledgement to the great man himself. — Blenheim Palace – Winston Churchill – No visit to Blenheim is complete without an acknowledgement to the great man himself.

Blenheim1 — Blenheim Palace – Water Gardens

Blenheim2 — Blenheim Palace – Main Entrance

Blenheim3 — Blenheim Palace – The view below the Water Gardens

Blenheim4 — Blenheim Palace – Tranquility

Blenheim5 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, a blousy pink.

Blenheim6 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, I can still smell the scent.

Blenheim7 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, a luscious red, which is just how I like my wine.

Blenheim9 — Blenheim Palace – Rose Gardens, for shear exuberance. Reminds me of the Can Can

Blenheim10 — Blenheim Palace – towering, or is that lurking, above The Boat House

Blenheim11 — Blenheim Palace – Hidden Treasure

Blenheim13 — Blenheim Palace – view of the lake, from The Boat House

Blenheim14 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, resident.

Blenheim15 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, fancy some fruit ?

Blenheim16 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, cheeky chappy.

Blenheim17 — Blenheim Palace – Butterfly House, this cheeky chappy followed us around and harangued us from every perch.

Bampton

Bampton in Oxfordshire is the “real” name of Downton, a name familiar with all Downton Abbey fans. As one would expect the real thing looks very different to the images presented on screen.

Bampton - Church View - Apparently No. 2 gets quite a makeover to become a pub in the series. — Bampton – Church View – Apparently No. 2 gets quite a makeover to become a pub in the series.

Bampton - Church View - A real cottage garden. — Bampton – Church View – A real cottage garden.

Bampton - The old Grammar School building, which now houses Bampton Community Archive, served as ‘Downton’ hospital. Unfortunately closed when we were there. — Bampton – The old Grammar School building, which now houses Bampton Community Archive, served as ‘Downton’ hospital. Unfortunately closed when we were there.

Bampton - St Mary’s Church, renamed for the series as St Michael and All Angels — Bampton – St Mary’s Church, renamed for the series as St Michael and All Angels

Burford

Burford is a small town on the River Windrush in the Cotswold hills in west Oxfordshire, England, about 18 miles west of Oxford, 22 miles southeast of Cheltenham and only about 2 miles from the Gloucestershire boundary.