I had no idea that there is a house in St. Michael’s Street, Oxford en route from the railway station which is named after, and attributed to, Vanbrugh for good reason – not just the proximity of Blenheim, but its exaggerated double columns on the façade and its playful combination of capitals and triglyphs. But I note that Historic England more cautiously attributes it to William Townesend, who worked as a mason at Blenheim and was involved with a number of projects in Oxford as surveyor:-

