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BLENHEIM CASTLE,

THE SEAT OF HIS GRACE

THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH.

WITH A CATALOGUE OF

THE PRINCIPAL PORTRAITS AND STATUES,

A DESCRIPTION OF THE

TAPESTRY, PAINTINGS, GARDENS,
PARK, &c.

TH

HE Caftle of BLENHEIM, the feat of His Grace the Duke of MARLBOROUGH, is fituated weft of Woodstock, a market and borough town, about feven miles and a half from Oxford.

From the town we enter the Park through a fpacious portal of the Corinthian order; from whence a noble profpect is opened to the Caftle, the Bridge, the Lake with its Valley, and other beautiful fcenes of the Park. The Houfe in particular, which we furvey from this point obliquely, is probably no where viewed to greater advantage.

The front is 348 feet from wing to wing, and confifts of a variety of architecture, defigned by Sir John Vanbrugh. On the pediment of the fouth front towards the garden is a noble Bufto, larger than the life, of Louis XIV. taken from the gates of Tournay.

We enter the Houfe on the east, through a portal built in the style of martial architecture, on the top of which is a refervoir, which fupplies the house with water from the river. This leads us into a quadrangle

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chiefly confifting of arcades and offices. From hence we pafs into the grand area.

Through the fuperb portico elevated on maffy co

lumns we enter

THE HALL.

This magnificent room is of the height of the house, and of a proportionable breadth. It is fupported by Corinthian pillars.

Over the door going into the Saloon.

A Buft of John Duke of Marlborough.

Two Statues in Bronze, viz.

The Venus of Medicis, and the Faun, both from the originals in marble in the Duke of Tuscany's collection at Florence, and executed by Max. Soldani Benzi, at Florence, 1711.

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Above, upon the right and left, are feveral marble Termini, with two excellent Statues of a Nymph and a Bacchanal.

The ceiling, painted by Sir James Thornhill, allegorically reprefents Victory crowning John Duke of Marlborough, and pointing to a Plan of the Battle of Blenheim.

The Bow-Window Room.

Over the chimney is a capital original Picture of the Virgin and Child, St. John and St. Nicholas, by Raphael, formerly belonging to the Capella degli Anfidei at Perugia.

Over the first door is St. Jerome, by Giorgioni. On a pannel to the right, a fine Head, after An. Caracci, by Sir J. Reynolds; a Head of Lady Anne Churchill, by Sir G. Kneller; a fmall Picture of the Affumption, by Tintoret; a female Head, by Rubens; two Monkies in the habit of Monks, by Teniers; a Madona and Child, by Leonardo da Vinci. Over the fecond door are two Nymphs, by an unknown Master.

In the Duke's Dreffing-Room

The Paintings are Venus and Adonis, by an un

certain

certain Artist; a Magdalen, by young Palma; our Saviour in the Virgin's lap, by Titian; St. Mark, writing his Gofpel, by old Palma; Infide View of a Church, by Steenwyck; a Spanish Sca-Port, by Weenix; De. ftruction of Pharaoh and his Hoft, by old Frank; two Beggar Boys, by Murillio; Efther and Ahafuerus, by Paul Veronefe; three Beggar Boys, by Murillio; a Holy Family, by Rubens; Charles Earl of Sunderland, by Kneller; George I. by an unknown Artist; Sleeping Venus and Satyr, from the School of Rubens; a View of Althorpe, the feat of Earl Spencer, by Tilleman.

The Eaft Drawing Room.

Over the door going in from the Dreffing Room is a Holy Family. The Marchionefs de Havre, and Mary of Medicis, by Vandyck. The Duchefs of Buckingham and her Children, by Vandyck. An oval Portrait of King William III. by Sir G. Kneller; a Man's Head, by Titian; another Head, by Holbein ; an Annunciation, by Corregio; an oval Portrait of Lady Chefterfield, by Vandyck; a Whole-length of Philip II. of Spain, by Titian; a moft capital Bacchanalian Piece, by Rubens; Andromeda chained to the Rock, by the fame; the Offering of the Magi, by Rubens; a French Camp, by Watteau; a fmall Cabinet with Miniatures of the prefent Family; two fmall Landfcapes, by a French Artift; Cattle, by Rofa di Tivoli; a Landscape, by Paul Brylle; Lord Henry and Lady Charlotte Spencer, by Sir J. Reynolds; Rubens, Wife and Child, by Rubens, prefented to the firft Duke by the city of Bruffels; Charles I. by Vandyck; a Holy Family, fuppofed by Raphael, a prefent from the town of Ghent; Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I. by Vandyck; an Angel, by Corregio; Cattle and Figures, by Wovermans; a Landscape, fmall, by Claude Lorrain; a broad Day-break; by Vandermeer. This Drawing-Room is furnished with crin fon damask. The Grand Cabinet.

In this room, which is alfo furnished with crimføn

damask,

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damask, the Paintings, which are well worthy of parti cular obfervation, are-A Holy Family, by Rubens; "a Madona ftanding on a Globe furrounded by Angels, by Carlo Maratti; the Offering of the Magi, by Rubens; our Saviour bleffing the Children, by Rubens ; Filial Affection exemplified in the Roman Daughter, by Rubens; Return of our Saviour from Egypt, by Rubens; Lot's Departure from Sodom, by Rubens, a prefent from the town of Antwerp; Paracelfus, by Rubens; a Virgin, her head encircled with Stars, fuppofed the miraculous Conception, by Carlo Dolce; Raphael's Dorothea, by himself; Head of Rubens, by the same Pope Gregory and a female Penitent, by Titian; a Holy Family, by Ludovico Caracci.

The Blue Drawing Room,

Which has gilt ornaments to the blue damak.

The Paintings are-Ifaac bleffing Jacob, by Rembrandt; Catherine of Medicis, by Rubens; Time cutting Cupid's wings, by Vandyck; William Marquis of Blandford, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; a Landscape, by Vandermeer; a Dutch Family, by Oftade; a Landfcape, by Gafpard Pouffin; Dorothy Countefs of Sunderland, celebrated by Waller, by Vandyck; another Landscape, by Gafpard Pouffin; a fmall beautiful Family Piece, by Gonzales: a very fine Landscape, by Wovermans; Ladies Caroline and Elizabeth Spencer, by Romney; on the right of which are two Heads of young Women, by Paul Veronefe; on the left our Saviour and St. John, by Carlo Dolce; the Woman taken in Adultery, by Rembrandt; our Saviour and the Virgin in the clouds, and a Monk worshipping, by Annibal Caracci; our Saviour and the Virgin in the clouds, &c. by Tintoret; thirty Miniature Portraits in one frame; a Holy Family by Ludovico Caracci; Cattle and Figures, by Bambocchio.

The Winter Drawing Room.

The Tapestry is a Representation of the Cardinal
Virtues.

Over

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