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The Long and the short of it: South Wraxall Manor and the Longs

Posted by: Blog Administrator on May 6, 2011

Tagged in: writer , Wiltshire , William Wellesley-Pole junior , widow , wealth , Vol. IX , Visitors Book , Thomas Larkins Walker , Thomas Critchley , Stag’s Horn , St. James’ Palace , South Wraxall Manor , son , Sir Walter Long , shooting , school , Samuel Sneade Brown , Rood Ashton and Draycot , Rev. Jackson , Rev. Dr. F. , retirement , reputation , relation , pupils , prosperous , property , poet , plaisaunce , Pedigree , partridge , pamphlet , owned , notorious , nephew , Mrs Knight , Mr Thomas Knight , Motto , Miss Knight , Miss Katherine Long , Medlicott , Long family , Long , letter , Kilvert , John Taylor , inherit , infatuated , India , horseracing , Gentleman’s Magazine , Gateway of South Wraxall Manor , frontispiece , fortune , folly , family , extravagance , Exeter , events , Etching , estates , Envy will lye , egotism , Duran Duran , Duke of Wellington , Draycot House , diary , destitute , debts , Dan Cruickshank , clothiers , clergyman , Charter House , Charlotte Anna Long , Catherine Tylney-Long , Bradford on Avon , bookseller , Bath , bass guitarist , Aubrey , article , Archives

Dan Cruickshank has just taken a fascinating look at South Wraxall Manor, and to supplement his visit I thought I’d have a look in our archives for any quirky or unusual information on both the manor and Long family who initially made their fortune as clothiers.


P40652
South Wraxall Manor

A. C. Martin restored the gardens at South Wraxall Manor for Richardson Cox between 1900 and 1902. He laid out the gardens whilst restoring the manor. By 1968 a geometrical island and sundial had found their way into an earlier circular swimming pool.


 Gateway, 1860s
947/1787/1 Gateway of South Wraxall Manor, 1860s

 
 Letter from Medlicott to Walter Long
947/1062, 1878
Letter from Medlicott to Walter Long















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A Christmas Custom

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Dec 10, 2010

Tagged in: www.candyverney.co.uk , writing , winter , Wiltshire Community History , Wiltshire , William Morris , website , village , version , Turkish , Swindon Advertiser , St. Michael’s Without , St. George , Sisema , Shrewton , Scotland , Saturday 18 December , recorded , public houses , poorly paid , plays , performed , Peaceful Gudgeon Mummers Play , pagan , North Wilts , narrator , Mummers’ play , Mummers’ , money , Medieval , Limpley Stoke , Knight , King George , income , http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/folk_pla , hero , gentry , founder , fool , food , Folk , First World War , Father Christmas , farmers , Drug & Homeless Initiative , drink , doctor , Custom , Christmas , Christian , characters , Broad Street , bookseller , Bath , Arts , Alton Barnes , agricultural labourers , adversary , adapted

Mummers’ plays were an important part of Christmas for many agricultural labourers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These seem to be first recorded in the mid 18th century and although there are medieval precedents the connections between the two are uncertain. The later ones provided an opportunity for poorly paid labourers to make some extra income by taking their play around the houses of local farmers and gentry where they would normally receive food, drink and some money.


The characters included a hero, often St. George or King George, his adversary, often a Turkish Knight, a doctor, a fool and a narrator, often Father Christmas in later versions, and a character who collects the money at the conclusion. Normally the Turkish Knight is killed by St. George and revived or resurrected by the doctor. There are many elements in the plays, both pagan and Christian and the plays and the names of characters may have changed from generation to generation.

The Salisbury Mummers, c. 1932
The Salisbury Mummers, c. 1932
Ref: P7940

The plays, normally each village would have its own version, were kept alive by ordinary people who had an interest in being able to supplement their wages once a year. Many did not survive the First World War although in Wiltshire mumming plays were still being performed at Alton Barnes in 1930 and at Shrewton in 1936.

This year an adapted version of the Limpley Stoke Mummers’ play is being performed as the Peaceful Gudgeon Mummers Play on Saturday 18 December at 7.00 p.m. at St. Michael’s Without, Broad Street, Bath. Please 'read more' to find out more'...








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