Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Kings Palace
Hob Uid: 336666
Location : Oxfordshire West Oxfordshire Blenheim
Grid Ref : SP4392016570
Summary : Royal palace, first documented in 1129, in use until late 16th century. Used as a residence for Vanbrugh while he built Blenheim Palace, it was demolished in 1720.
More information : SP 4392 1657: Kings Palace (NR) (site of) (1) Woodstock was a Royal Manor and there is a record of a royal building there in 1129. Aethelred II (979-1016) held council at Woodstock but it is not known if this represents a predecessor to the 1129 Palace. It continued as a Royal Palace until the latter 15th c and was used occasionally thereafter (Elizabeth I was lodged there when Mary Tudor was on the throne). The Palace eventually fell into disrepair but was "patched-up" by Vanbrugh as his own residence when he was building Blenheim Palace. It was pulled down c 1720 and its materials used in the filling of the Grand bridge and the causeway. The site is said to have been covered by mud dredged from the lake in 1896. The Palace is associated with Rosamund Clifford (Fair Rosamund) mistress of Henry II, and by tradition the oldest part of the Palace was called Fair Rosamund's Tower and said to have been joined to the Palace proper by a drawbridge. This fits in well with the view of the palace in Plot's "Natural History of Oxfordshire" which suggests a motte and bailey. The OS siting accords with Thomas Pryce's map of Blenheim (1789). (2-6) There is nothing at the site today except an ornamental pillar dated 1802, presumably brought from elsewhere to support a concrete tablet,dated 1961, saying that this marks the site of the Palace. (7) Detailed discussion of the history and the demise of Woodstock Palace (8) Additional reference (9) The palace seems to have been defensible, based upon the evidence of Plot's depiction of the palace. Its relation to the Stephanic castle documented there as fortified on behalf of the Empress Matilda in 1141 is not known. (10)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1955
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Source Number : 2
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Page(s) : 1009-17
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Source Number : 11
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Page(s) : 349-355
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Source Number : 3
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Page(s) : 350
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : Green D. (1951) Blenheim Palace, 23, 31-36
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : Mayor, W.F (1797) Blenheim
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Taunt H W. (1909) Blenheim, Woodstock, 15-24
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : F1 CFW 14-JAN-72
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : Bond J, Tiller (eds) (1987) Blenheim: Landscape for a Palace, Alan Sutton; Oxford, 42-5, 55-6
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Blenheim Palace Guidebook 1993 Norwich Jarrold (57 illust)
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Source Number : 10
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Page(s) : 387,388,389
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Royal Palace, Motte And Bailey, Royal Chapel, Tower, Great Hall, Baths, Cloister, Fortified House
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit, Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : 1720
Monument End Date : 1720
Monument Start Date :
Monument Type : House
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : c1705
Monument End Date : 1715
Monument Start Date : 1695
Monument Type : House
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Demolished 1720
Monument End Date : 1720
Monument Start Date : 1720
Monument Type : Royal Palace
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SP 41 NW 23
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Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1972-01-14
End Date : 1972-01-14

Historic England Research Records

Kings Palace