Blenheim Palace

The Water Terraces

By 1925 the 9th Duke had restored the formal setting of the palace on the north and east (including the Italian Garden), and turned his attention to the west, where there was another confused jumble of shrubs. The transformation he planned with Duchene was ambitious, costly and time-consuming. Duke and architect did not always see eye to eye. Duchene w as soon told to work less in the spirit of Le Notre than of Bernini, whose fountain was to have the place of honour on the second terrace; and when later Duchene pleaded for fountains and running water, he was firmly put in his place. ÒLimpidity of waterÓ , he was reminded, Òis pleasing and possesses a romance. You have got this effect in the basins and in the large area of water contained by the Lake. Be careful not to destroy this major emotion which Nature has granted to you for the sake of what may pos sibly be avulgar display of waterworks which can be seen at any exhibition or public park.

Turn all these matters over in your mindÓ, the Duke added, Òwhen you are at rest in the evening, for it is only by thought, constant thought and mature reflection that artists have left their great works for the enjoyment of posterity.Ó

These terraces are reminiscent, on a smaller scale, of the Parterre d 'Eau at Versailles. As well as the Bernini and its answering obelisk, they have other unusual aspects, suc h as the lead sphinxes, their features those of the 9th Duke's second Duchess, and the caryatids, carved in situ by Visseau, which support the first terrace and are flanked by tiers of shells.

During five years of planning and building, an immense am ount of thought and work went into the making of these terraces, yet some things happened by chance. A young gardener, who had been working on the Duchess's Rock Garden, happened to stroll by as Visseau was beginning to carve the caryatids, was stopped an d asked if he would like to be immortalised. He thought he would. And so it is that the model for the head and torso of the northern most caryatid was a local craftsman, Bert Timms of Hanborough.

When at last in 1930, the terraces were finished the Duke was magnanimous enough to congratulate Duchene and to acknowledge his genius in an inscription on the south wall of the chapel.

In 1932, two years before the 9th Duke's death, Sir Sacheverell Sitwell urged him to re-create the parterre on the so uth lawn, even if it only meant Òsome sort of patterning that would avoid all the expense of incessant cutting and trimmingÓ. The Duke smiled and shrugged. He would have liked to do it but knew it was impossible.