MmePerdu

Weighing in with another opinion, Blenheim Palace and Warwick Castle are my least favorite of all the dozens & dozens of houses/castles/palaces I've visited in the UK. I'll be blunt, I hated them both, by far worse in the same sorts of ways as Sudeley Castle. Just to balance the scales. And if it wasn't already on your list of places you longed to see I'd also eliminate Stratford.

nola77382

@MmePerdu, thank you for weighing in. In re. Blenheim, from what I've seen of it online it does look very commercial and is expensive to boot. If we're castled out, we'll probably skip it and spend more time in Oxford. I would prefer to go to Harry Potter World than Blenheim but that would eliminate Oxford completely, which I also really want to visit. Oh, decisions!

nola77382

Happy Potter Studio Tour (not HP World, that's in FL!) is sold out on 17 September . I guess that decision is made.

janisj

>>Blenheim, from what I've seen of it online it does look very commercial and is expensive to boot.<<

Blenheim isn't over commercial at all. Now, Warwick castle is . . .

Some people don't like Blenheim -- especially flanner who is a neighbor.

But many love it -- there are some amazing rooms - the long library is one of my favorite rooms in the whole country. http://mustseeplaces.eu/wp-content/u...e-interior.png

The Drawing room http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/...es3-246053.jpg

dining room http://f.tqn.com/y/gouk/1/S/x/g/-/-/...eim-Palace.jpg

Plus the Churchill rooms, plus the gardens and grounds, plus Bladon churchyard just outside the back gates.

for some the opulence is off putting . . .

janisj

my post didn't top the thread - TTT

MmePerdu

"for some the opulence is off putting . . ."

When we don't have no idea why, make something up.

MmePerdu

No idea why? Any idea why.

janisj

I didn't make anything up -- and didn't mention your post - now, did I?

I have in fact had people tell ME they found it over the top and too opulent. As I specifically said, >>for <u>some</u> the opulence is off putting . . .<<

MmePerdu

Nola gets the drift.

maitaitom

Chapters Nine through Sixteen of our 2013 trip chronicle (in words and photos) our visit to Bath & the towns of the Cotswolds (we also visited Blenheim Palace). It should give you a ton of ideas of what to see and do. Hope we can return some day.

<B>http://travelswithmaitaitom.com/england-2013/</B>

maitaitom

Snowshill was fun, with some gorgeous views.

We also liked Berkeley Castle where (legend has it) Edward II got it in the end, so to speak.

Mimar

So many castles are just piles of stone. At Warwick you get an idea of how people lived in a castle, in different eras. Yes it's a bit commercial but I still found it very interesting.

Blenheim is historic, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. And an example of how people lived if they wanted to hit you over the head with their wealth and eminence.

I can understand people not liking these places. It's how I feel about French chateaux. But others would enjoy these sites.

MmePerdu

Indeed, Mimar, something for everyone. The dilemma is how to choose and that's where the opinions here come in. I was dragged to both Warwick & Blenheim, neither places I'd have gone on my own, tests of my endurance in all it's forms. But if numbers of visitors are any indication, both have plenty of fans.

Dukey1

Flanner doesn't like it because they won't let him LIVE there.

nola77382

Thank you all, again.

@maitaitom, I read your blog awhile back and remember really wanting to visit Berkeley Castle but we just can't get there this trip. I'm going refresh myself on your travels. We're definitely following you around--albeit years later!

There are pros and cons to every sight which is why I'm so grateful for the opinions and advice from those of you who have gone before. This trip, I think we don't have enough time to do Blenheim justice and also see Oxford. But if we're not "castled" out, we'll probably go. Thanks for the links, janisj. The library, usually my favorite room in any castle/house/mansion, looks stunning.

We saw a.lot of castles/mansions in France last year--some much more enjoyable to visit than others. This year we're going to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, Petworth House, Highclere (yup, Downton Abbey fans), Sezincote House, Snowshill Manor (and Hidcote gardens and Milldene Gardens). So our plate is full! I'm so excited to get there! Just gotta survive another week at work then England!

MmePerdu

I'd been wanting to see Sezincote for a very long time and finally made it this year. The website doesn't show interiors which mistakenly led me to believe the inside of the house would be an extension of the exotic exterior. My mistake and I think a mistake on the part of the owners as, for me, it led to a certain level of disappointment. Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely house inside too, but very classic English and a mismatch in my mind due to expectations. I'm not saying don't go, but I am saying the website seems to me a kind of skillful deception (as many are, aren't they?).

The same day I visited the nearby National Trust property Chastleton House https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/chastleton-house and found it more interesting by far. There one gets a sense of a family and declining fortunes and the effects (or lack of effect) on a house. As the website says, 'Poverty is a great preserver'. It was thrilling if you like history embodied in buildings, as I do. My favorites are always those that are least changed and strongly evoke the time in which they were built.

If I had time for 1 house, I'd make it Chastleton. If time for 2, I'd see them both. Both are close to Milldene Garden. The difficulty may be coinciding open days. Looking at my list from the spring I see:

Milldene open Wed to Fri. (10-5)
Sezincote open Thurs & Fri. (2-6)
Chastleton House open Wed to Sun. (1-5)

In case you haven't yet, do check on those in case days have changed.

nola77382

@MmePerdue, Chastleton House was on the list, I just didn't think I had time for it. But since it's close to other sites, we may be able to make it. We'll be in the area on Thursday and Friday when all three are open, lucky us. I love the flexibility the NT pass will give us.

buzzcolin

Would it not be possible for you to drop your hire car in Oxford. Then you could spend the night there and take the bus that goes to Heathrow. There is one every hour. (Called the Heathrow tube I think). You could then visit Blenheim on your way from the Cotswolds. We loved Chipping Campden. Stayed there for a week and did not find it as touristy as many of the other towns. Also found Warwick Castle very interesting. We did that and Stratford as a day trip from Chipping. Enjoy!

MmePerdu

"Would it not be possible for you to drop your hire car in Oxford."

Avis & Budget are very well located for both the train station and Gloucester Green Coach Station, a short walk from both and where I got my car.

nola77382

@buzzcolin, thanks for the suggestion. We can't stay in Oxford this time but it's a thought for future trips.