Wander in the footsteps of a giant
THIS week sees the 50th anniversary of the death of Britain’s greatest Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, and the places that shaped his life are marking the historic occasion. KATIE ROWE rounds up the best of the events…
BLENHEIM PALACE
Get to know Churchill better at his birthplace, Blenheim Palace, a magnificent example of baroque architecture in the Oxfordshire countryside. From February 14, you’ll be able to experience a revitalised Churchill exhibition brought to life with extracts from his diaries, photos and other informative artefacts. In June, a commemorative garden will open near the Temple of Diana, where Churchill proposed to his future wife.
CHARTWELL
Churchill once said that ‘a day away from Chartwell is a day wasted’, and once you’ve spent some time at this 16th Century country house in Kent, you’re likely to share the sentiment. It was Churchill’s home from 1924 to his death in 1965 and is much the way he left it. In the studio, you can see the largest single collection of his paintings, many of which are of Chartwell’s gardens and grounds. Visit before February 22 and you can catch the Death Of A Hero exhibition, which explores the final weeks of his life, the funeral and his legacy. Various never-before-seen objects will be on show, including the flag flown over Washington the day Churchill died.
CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS
Venture beneath the busy streets of Westminster and discover the wartime bunker where Churchill took shelter during the Blitz. It was here where master strategies were hatched and top-secret conversations were whispered late into the night. Very little has changed here since the war ended – scratch marks on Churchill’s chair reveal the intense pressure he was under, and maps are still dotted with pins charting the progress of Allied ships.
Above ground, carry on your Central London adventure with a night at the theatre. There are more than 40 shows on in London’s West End at any one time, and if you book with londonbreaks.com to see a top show in March, you can stay in one of the capital’s hotels for free.
SCIENCE MUSEUM
From January 23, the Science Museum in London will be hosting an exhibition called Churchill’s Scientists It will reveal the little-known story of Churchill’s involvement with the science that was required by the war effort and that led to the breakthroughs and discoveries which helped Britain triumph over the Axis powers. Focusing on the scientists and their work under Churchill’s direction, the exhibition will highlight the uniqueness of British innovations, including the secret research that contributed to the building of the first atomic bomb.