Churchill's Burial Place in Bladon – Oxfordshire

In the Churchyard of St. Martin’s of Bladon is the Burial Place of the Churchill Family

Churchill's Burial Place © Travel Signposts

When Sir Winston Churchill died on January 24, 1965, he was given a state funeral.   His last farewell was a grand affair and the Queen, members of the royal family, statesmen and diplomatic  representatives from 112 countries attended his service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

The funeral procession was beamed all over the world and watched by millions.  Winston Churchill could have been buried at Westminster Abbey.  Yet his final resting place is in the simple churchyard of Bladon, close to Blenheim Estate.

Churchill was born in Blenheim Palace in 1874.  He loved Blenheim which is not surprising since many believe that Blenheim Palace is the most extravagant house in Britain.  He visited frequently during his lifetime.

Set in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, it was a gift from Queen Anne and a grateful nation to the First Duke of Marlborough to thank him for his famous victory over the French at the 1704 Battle of Blenheim.

Churchill’s Wish

It was Sir Winston Churchill’s wish that he be buried at Bladon, close to his family home. In the family plot in a small section of the churchyard of Bladon church is the graveyard of Churchill.  And here too are the graves of his parents, Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome, his wife Clementine, his children Randolph, Diana and Sarah, his brother Jack and his son-in-law Christopher Soames.  Other members of the Churchill family are buried here too.

The only official memorial at this site is the plaque by the Danish Resistance Movement which pays “homage to the Memory of Sir Winston Churchill”.

If you’re touring Oxfordshire and visiting Blenheim Palace, it’s worthwhile making a stop at St. Martin’s church in Bladon to see the burial place of the Churchill family.

Road Map to Bladon:

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