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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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Over 100 Attend Our Festival of British Archaeology Events

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Sep 7, 2010

Over 100 people attended two key events organised by the Archaeology Service as part of the annual Festival of British Archaeology fortnight.
Barbury Castle Iron Age hillfort
Barbury Castle Iron Age hillfort
The first, on 31st July, centred on Barbury Castle Iron Age hillfort near Wroughton, followed by a guided 5km walk along the historic Ridgeway to the white horse hill figure on Hackpen Hill.

Hackpen Hill.
Hackpen Hill.

The chalk and downland landscape in this part of Wiltshire boasts a rich mix of prehistoric and medieval archaeology and provided plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion from the 30-strong group, as well as endless photo opportunities. Informative and enjoyable, this walk through time, from the Neolithic to Queen Victoria, showed how nature and heritage combine to give Wiltshire its very special environment.

Littlecote Roman villa
Littlecote Roman villa


The following day, some 70 people joined a guided tour of Littlecote Roman villa near Hungerford. A guided talk focussed on the famous “Orpheus” mosaic, influenced by the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as fine examples of Roman villa architecture, resulting in plenty of “oohs” and “aahs” at this very photogenic private site. The group included a broad range of ages and backgrounds, united by their appreciation of the very special archaeological features on display, all brought to life through this event. The site was fully excavated between 1978-1991, with publication of the results due out soon. To find out more, please 'read more'...

 













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'An Election's A Fair'... stories of bribery, corruprion and intrigue in Wiltshire's electoral past

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Apr 27, 2010

Tagged in: Yorkshire Farmerscould my ancestors vote , Wyndham , Wootton Bassett , women’s suffrage , Wolves and Moon , Wiltshire’s parliamentary elections , Wiltshire Studies Library , Wiltshire , William Pole-Tynley-Long-Wellesley , William Pitt the Elder , William Herbert , White Hart , Warminster , voters , vote , village , Victoria County History , Veteran , Veritas , Trowbridge , three horse race , Sir Manasseh Lopes , Secret ballots , school history lessons , satirical , Salisbury , Rusticus , rotten boroughs , Robert Cecil , riots , resources , residents , representatives , Reform Act , pseudonyms , poll books , politics , political history , political fame , poem , pocket borough , Penruddock , Paul Methuen , parliamentary representation , original document , Old Sarum , Old Moonraker , Notorious Quorom , north - south divide , nominees , New Moonraker , Mr Poppham , MPs , Mild Inquirer , male suffrage , Lunatic , Ludgershall , Lord Bruce , Long , letters , Landsdowne family , Knights of the Shire , Kaleidoscopiana Wiltoniensia , Jonathan Swift Junior , intrigue , History Centre , Hindon , Heytesbury , Henry Herbert , Great Bedwyn , gentry , First World War , events , eligible to vote , electorate , election squibs , election material , eighteenth and nineteenth century , Earls of Abingdon , Earl of Mornington , Duke of Wellington , Downton , Dorset Farmers , Cricklade , county , Corsham , corruption , Cornwall , contested elections , Constant Reader , Candidus , candidate , burgesses , Bribery , Bradford on Avon , Bertie family , Benett of Pythouse , A’Court family , aristocracy , Antiquorum , antics , Ambrose Goddard , 3rd Earl of Pembroke of Wilton , 1st Earl of Salisbury , 1832 , 1768

Bribery, corruption, intrigue, rotten boroughs and riots …oh dear, that will be Wiltshire’s parliamentary elections in eighteenth and nineteenth century! Present events always give us an opportunity to take the long-view and here at the History Centre we have a range of resources on the political history of the county and borough, from excellent accounts published in the Victoria County History for Wiltshire to election squibs, poll books and original documents.


'The Antiquities of Malmesbury', described as 'A parliamentary election, as lampooed in 1792' in VCH Wiltshire Vol. 14, opposite p.221 (our Ref: P41146).
'The Antiquities of Malmesbury', described as 'A parliamentary election, as lampooned in 1792' in VCH Wiltshire Vol. 14, opposite p.221 (our Ref: P41146).

Wiltshire’s early claim to political fame was the impressive size of its parliamentary representation. Until 1832 it elected two Knights of the Shire (representing the whole county), two MPs for Salisbury, and two burgesses for each of its 15 boroughs, a grand total of 34 seats. Only Cornwall had higher. This was especially impressive given that many of the boroughs were the size of a village, and few of their residents could vote.  The most notable, of course, was Old Sarum, which retuned two MPs and in 1768, it is claimed, had an electorate of, er…one, though usually could count on seven. Other small boroughs included Great Bedwyn, Cricklade, Downton, Heytesbury, Hindon, Ludgershall and Wootton Bassett. Yet other towns like Bradford on Avon, Corsham, Trowbridge, and Warminster could not send representatives to parliament. To find out about the great political contest of 1818 and Marlborough making the national news in 1832, please 'read more'...



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