Blenheim Palace pageant to celebrate 1st Duke of Marlborough
- Published
The celebrations will be held on 30 and 31 July at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock
Pageants and re-enactments will celebrate the life of the famous soldier and statesman who had Oxfordshire's Blenheim Palace built.
The Unesco World Heritage Site in Oxfordshire will be used to celebrate the 300th anniversary of John Churchill, the 1st Duke of Marlborough.
Sir Winston Churchill, who was born there, said the Duke was Britain's greatest ever general.
The celebrations will be held on 30 and 31 July.
The palace was built as a gift to Marlborough from Queen Anne after his victory at the Battle of Blenheim in 1704.
Marlborough led victories over Louis XIV, and two arena shows each day will re-enact a horse race meeting at the court of Charles II and a battle from 1685.
The pageant will tell the story of his early life, his emergence into society and at court, and his relationship with his wife Sarah. Both are buried at the palace's chapel.
The pageant will celebrate his relationship with his wife Sarah (represented here by actors)
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