Aerial view
by BROWN, Lancelot (Capability), Photo
The relationship of the building to the landscape was a crucial part of the design of Blenheim Palace. John Vanbrugh and Henry Wise created formal gardens and turned the surrounding forest into parkland to provide a more appropriate frame for the house; Vanbrugh also sought (unsuccessfully) to retain the nearby medieval ruins of Woodstock Manor. His triple-spanned Grand Bridge in front of the palace originally crossed three canals but now spans the lake created by Capability Brown when he redesigned the landscaping.