On offer: an original (i.e. not a later reproduction) antique print "Blenheim Palace, Oxford.  The Seat of His Grace the Duke of Marlborough.".  

ARTIST/CARTOGRAPHER/ENGRAVER: Drawn by Wilson and engraved by Owen.

PROVENANCE:  Published in The Beauties of England and Wales by John Britton (1771. .1857). After some slight successes as a writer, a Salisbury publisher commissioned Britton to compile an account of Wiltshire and, in conjunction with his friend Edward Wedlake Brayley, Britton went on to produce the series 'The Beauties of England and Wales' in nine volumes.   The Beauties of England and Wales (1801-1815) was a series of books describing the topography and local history of England and Wales. Produced by a variety of London publishers, the work appeared in 18 multi-part volumes arranged by county, individually  Each volume contained engraved illustrations by artists such as Thomas Hearne, J. M. W. Turner, John Varley, Benjamin West.  Readers included Charles Dickens.

TYPE: Antique copper plate engraving printed on paper. 

VERSO: There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is blank. 

CONDITION: Good; suitable for framing. Please check the scan for any blemishes prior to making your purchase. Virtually all antiquarian maps and prints are subject to some normal aging due to use and time which is not significant unless otherwise stated. I offer a no questions asked return policy.

AUTHENTICITY: This is an authentic antique print, published at the date stated above. I do not offer reproductions. It is not a modern copy.  The term 'original' when applied to a print means that it was printed at the first or original date of publication; it does not imply that the item is unique. 

RETURNS POLICY: I offer a no questions returns policy. All I ask is that you pay return shipping and mail back to me in original condition. 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house in Blenheim, Oxfordshire, England. It is the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough, and the only non-royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between 1705 and 1722, and designated a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 1987. The palace is named in memory of the 1704 Battle of Blenheim, and thus ultimately after Blindheim (also known as Blenheim) in Bavaria. It was originally intended to be a reward to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough for his military triumphs against the French and Bavarians in the War of the Spanish Succession, culminating in the Battle of Blenheim, but soon after construction began it became the subject of political infighting; this led to Marlborough's exile, the fall from power of his duchess, and lasting damage to the reputation of the architect Sir John Vanbrugh. Designed in the rare, and short-lived, English Baroque style, architectural appreciation of the palace is as divided today as it was in the 1720s. It is unique in its combined use as a family home, mausoleum and national monument. The palace is notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill.