Newly opened Blenheim archives reveal 'hidden' stories

Previously unseen archived material from Blenheim Palace has "opened up stories that were previously hidden," according to local historians.

The Blenheim Archives has opened records related to the local communities of Wolvercote, Godstow and Cutteslowe in Oxfordshire, which include documents dating from 1616 to 1836.

More than 200 documents have been digitised and catalogued, giving an insight into the estate history and that of the local area.

Michael Daniell, volunteer archivist at Wolvercote Local History Society, said the cataloguing "now makes it possible for anyone to dig deeper into the history of Wolvercote and Cutteslowe".

Work on the collection was completed over five months.

It reveals long-standing connections between the Dukes of Marlborough and the local community, with personal stories captured in informal letters and papers.

Deeds, correspondence, wills, a land survey and inventories relating to property and land in the area are all part of the material.

Highlights include an 1808 letter warning that alterations at Kings Weir would lower water levels and a 1779 notice of distress issued to tenant Robert Wakefield for unpaid rent.

There is also a 1731 survey of land in Wolvercote owned by the executors of the will of the 1st Duke of Marlborough listing tenants, field names and plot acreage.

Eight boxes of uncatalogued documents have now been made accessible following funding secured through the Community Infrastructure Levy.

The Wolvercote Local History Society will continue its research and will share its findings with the wider community.

Claire Scott, archive assistant at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, said the project "has opened up stories that were previously hidden".