The Village of Woodstock near Oxford, England

            The frequent buses that go from central Oxford and its rail station to Blenheim Palace all go to this beautiful village. We only had a few minutes here one grey afternoon but decided that it would be the perfect place to spend the night. This would allow an early morning or late evening walk through the vast parkland and grounds of Blenheim Palace that we barely had a chance to sample. The shops, pubs and restaurants of the village itself also looked well worth exploring.

Here is some information from the current Wikipedia article:

Woodstock is a small town in Oxfordshire, England which is home to Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where Winston Churchill was born in 1874. It is located 13 km / 8 miles northwest of Oxford, 18.5 km / 11.5 miles southeast of Chipping Norton and 73 miles W.N.W. of London. Churchill's grave is in nearby Bladon.
Edward, elder son of Edward III and apparent heir, prince of Aquitaine and Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Chester was born in Woodstock Manor on 15 June 1330. During his lifetime, he was commonly called Edward of Woodstock according to his birthplace. Elizabeth I was kept a prisoner here when a princess, in the gatehouse of Woodstock Manor (the manor itself being too dilapidated to house her).
The name Woodstock is Anglo Saxon in origin. At that time, English kings would log in the area of Woodstock whose name stands for a clearing in the woods. The Domesday Book describes Woodstock (Wodestock, Wodestok, Wodestole) as a royal forest; it is said that King Alfred stayed at Woodstock in the year 890. Another famous resident was Ethelred the Unready, who is said to have held a council there. Henry I may have kept a menagerie in the park. Woodstock was the scene of King Henry II's courtship of Rosamund Clifford (Fair Rosamund). The market of the town was established when King Henry II gave Woodstock a Royal charter in 1179. The town was altered greatly during the 17th century, when the Duke of Marlborough became a permanent resident. The local inn, the Bear, was capable of accommodating vast numbers of visitors and horses. In the past (from the 16th century), the town prospered on manufacturing gloves. Today, it is largely dependent on tourists, many of whom visit Bleinheim Palace.
The little river Glyme, in a steep and picturesque valley, divides the town into New and Old Woodstock. Woodstock has two main suburbs, namely Hensingham to the south and east of the town centre, and Old Woodstock directly to the north. The town hall of Woodstock was built in 1766 after the designs of Sir William Chambers, and there are a number of 17th century buildings in the centre. The almshouses were erected in 1798 by Caroline, duchess of Marlborough. Chaucer's House was once home to the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. The primary school and The Marlborough School, the secondary school, are situated along Shipton Road. The parish church (dedicated to St Mary Magdalene) has a doorway of Norman origin. It features a musical clock which chimes every hour. The Oxfordshire Museum, the county museum of Oxfordshire, is housed in a large historic house, Fletcher’s House, in the centre of Woodstock. The Oxford School of Drama is also found in Woodstock. 
   

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Taken on: July 8, 2008

Sets appears in: • England Trip - July 2008 - Highlights • The Village of Woodstock near Oxford, England

Camera: Canon PowerShot A95, f/4.0, 1/60 sec, 9.6mm (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon PowerShot A95
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	0.017 sec (1/60)
Focal Length:	9.6mm
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Microsoft Windows Photo Gallery 6.0.6000.16386
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