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Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Vanbrugh 300 is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to develop a nationwide project that aims to broaden the awareness of Vanbrugh through special displays, free education programmes and lectures, throughout his tercentenary year in 2026.
Blenheim Castle is an original Vanbrugh design. When the Duke of Marlborough won the Battle of Blenheim in August 1704, to commemorate his military brilliance, Queen Anne planned to reward him with an appropriately palatial country house, much larger and grander than anything previously seen in England.
The Duke knew Vanbrugh from dinners at the Kit-Cat club and meetings at the theatre and commissioned him to design the building as a national monument. Despite many problems, including mounting costs, political upheaval, and fierce disputes with Sarah, first Duchess of Marlborough, Blenheim Palace remains his masterpiece — a theatrical vision of power and patriotism that defines the English Baroque and stands as a lasting memorial to victory carved in stone. Nowadays, it is one of the most popular country houses. It is still owned by the Duke of Marlborough and is now used for international diplomatic conferences and, like Castle Howard, as a backdrop for films.
Unfortunately, in contrast to the Duke, Sarah, first Duchess of Marlborough, wanted a relatively small country house for their retirement. Vanbrugh, believing he was doing what the Queen and Duke wanted, carried on regardless, started building the palace in 1705 to an immense scale, with soaring towers, vast courtyards, and a monumental bridge in front of the house. By 1709 the great façades and avenues were taking shape, extending the drama into the surrounding landscape but with the Duke overseas it was increasingly the Duchess who took control as the client and began to make Vanbrugh’s life hell. In 1710, after five years of quarrelling, she ordered work to stop.
From this point onwards, there was endless dispute as to who should pay the money owed the masons and how the project should be completed, all made more difficult after the death of Queen Anne in 1714. Work resumed in 1715, but when Vanbrugh discovered the Duchess was circulating a long account of everything she claimed he had done wrong he withdrew from the job. The Duchess took her revenge and banned him from entering the site. Tragically, Vanbrugh never saw his own completed building and was reduced to peering over the garden wall when he took his wife to see it.
(Secrets of Vanbrugh)
Despite Sarah's request to demolish Woodstock Manor, the original medieval and Tudor house which stood in the grounds, Vanbrugh instead renovated it. He even secretly moved into it in 1713. Sarah was livid when she found, ordered it to be demolished, and their relationship deteriorated even further.
Don't Miss
The Blueprints of Power Exhibition from Saturday, 14th February 2026 until Sunday, 31st May 2026 – an immersive adventure marking 300 years since Vanbrugh’s death. Step into the early 1700s, when Blenheim Palace was under construction, and witness Vanbrugh’ vision in action. See original archival pieces — elevations, garden designs and correspondence — alongside period costumes and outfits reflecting his life in the theatre. Experience a wall of the long library come to life through sound, light, and motion as stonemasons, blacksmiths, carpenters, and labourers shape Vanbrugh’ monumental design. The clang of hammers, the sounds of carving, and the general hubbub of craftsmen at work will recreate the human effort behind the grandeur.
