Blenheim Palace archives reveal evidence of original ‘Woodstock Festival’

Archivists at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire have discovered centuries-old records which appear to document a music festival that took place there – exactly 200 years prior to the legendary Woodstock Festival in the late 1960s.

Historians now believe the ‘original Woodstock’ at Blenheim Palace in 1769 could well have been the inspiration for the famous US music gathering, which took place on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in New York state from August 15-18 1969, and hosted an array of famous artists including The Who; Joan Baez; Jefferson Airplane; Crosby, Stills Nash & Young; and Jimi Hendrix.
Blenheim Palace’s archives contain several historical records detailing the 18th century festival, which was attended by around 200 people, including George Spencer, 4th Duke of Marlborough and his wife, Lady Caroline Russell.

Records feature a list of local food producers selling their wares, and a bill of artists, advertised as ‘musical entertainment for your pleasure’ who appeared at the festival – those mentioned include organist Mary Hudson, harpsichordist Jane Savage, and a singer by the name of Vincent Furnier.

Dr Alexa Frost, Archivist at Blenheim Palace, commented: “These incredible documents only came to light when I was researching an unrelated enquiry from an English university postgraduate; we firmly believe that our ‘Woodstock Festival’ could well have been the first such event in history, and a doubtless inspiration for the famous 1960s hippy gathering.
“We’re already in conversation with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. who are eager to find out more so that they can update their own archives and displays.”

For more information visit www.blenheimpalace.com/

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Blenheim Palace. For more information please contact Cab Campaign blenheim@cabcampaign.co.uk

About Blenheim Palace

Home to the Dukes of Marlborough since 1705, the Oxfordshire Estate was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Set in over 2,000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland and designed by Vanbrugh in the Baroque style, Blenheim Palace is also the birthplace of one of Britain’s most famous leaders, Sir Winston Churchill and it was his father who described the vista, on entering the Estate from the village of Woodstock, as the ‘finest view in England’.