Update as Blenheim Palace issues ‘serious’ visitor notice

The Woodstock spot’s gardens span acres around the historic Oxfordshire estate and feature French and Italian-style designs and grand water fountains.

On Wednesday (August 12), Blenheim issued a “polite and totally serious” visitor notice to the gardens.

It said in a statement: “We’ve noticed unusual activity in the Palace Formal Gardens over the last few days, with several indentations in the ground and strange shapes appearing in the morning mist.

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“We think something very big is on the way…”

Teasing the “totally serious” notice, Blenheim Palace added it is “not really” serious adding: “If you know, you know.”

Now, in an Instagram update today (Thursday, August 13), the palace revealed the notice was referring to the ‘Dinosaurs Are Forever’ installation, which is being hosted there.

The event runs from August 10 to November 1 and includes Megalosaurus skeleton sculptures displayed in the Palace Gardens.

Created by artist Jay Jay Burridge, the exhibition is in partnership with the Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford.

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The website says: “At the heart of the exhibition are five monumental sculptures of Megalosaurus, the first dinosaur ever to be scientifically named.

“Discovered in Oxfordshire in 1824, Megalosaurus changed our understanding of the natural world and helped lay the foundations of modern palaeontology.

“The fossil remains of Megalosaurus are now on display at the Museum of Natural History, University of Oxford.

“These sculptures are not traditional museum reconstructions. Built from advanced modern materials and designed to be fully articulated, the sculptures reimagine dinosaurs through a contemporary lens. 

“Making their public debut at Blenheim Palace, the exhibition offers visitors a rare opportunity to encounter the world’s first named dinosaur reimagined for the 21st century. This exhibition is included with an Annual Pass.”