Reproduction Queen Anne gold guinea. Features a bust of Queen Anne on the obverse and four shields representing the Act of Union (unification of England and Scotland into a single realm) on the reverse. Coin diameter: 25mm
By the time that Queen Anne came to the throne in March 1702 John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and his wife Sarah, were already long-accepted members of the royal circle. Sarah, particularly, was an intimate friend of the new Queen. When, later in the same year, war broke out in Europe, Marlborough, a military genius, was the obvious choice as leader of the allied troops. During 1702 and 1703 Marlborough defended Holland from invasion by the French, and in 1704 began to move forward up the Rhine valley. On 13th August a decisive battle took place on the north bank of the Danube near a small village called Blindheim, or Blenheim, where the French leader, Marshall Tallard, had fixed his lines. Here Marlborough won a great allied victory over the forces of Loius XIV, thus saving Vienna from a French invasion.
In reward for his services, the grateful Queen granted to Marlborough the Royal Manor of Woodstock and signified that she would build him there, at her own expense, a house to be called Blenheim.
An inscription on the East Gate declares that:
Under the auspices of a munificent sovereign this house was built for John Duke of Marlborough, and his Duchess Sarah, by Sir J. Vanbrugh between the years 1705 and 1722. And this Royal Manor of Woodstock, together with a grant of £240,000, towards the building of Blenheim was given by Her Majesty Queen Anne and confirmed by Act of Parliament (3, & 4, Anne C.4.) to the said John Duke of Marlborough and to all his issue male and female lineally descending.
But that is only a small part of the story. At least £60,000 was contributed by Marlborough and his widow towards the initial cost of the building; and of course a great many thousands have been spent on it since.
