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.

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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.


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

 
 
947/1062, 1878
Letter from Medlicott to Walter Long

The Long family have had a notorious reputation over the years. Medlicott, a relation of the Longs, wrote repeatedly to the eldest son of Charlotte Anna Long about her ‘unthinking extravagance and long standing propensity for running up debts’. Her younger sons also appear to have picked up their mother’s traits and Medlicott wrote abut their older brother’s ‘folly’ in redeeming them, but Long himself appears too fond of horseracing! Medlicott felt that the reputation of the family was at stake, and that the family would be ruined.

The Longs owned many estates in Wiltshire, including Rood Ashton and Draycot. In the early 19th century the heir to the Draycot estate died. Catherine Tylney-Long was due to inherit the fortune when she came of age. The renowned clergyman and poet Kilvert mentions in his diary the events which took place at Draycot during the time Catherine chose a husband (who would acquire all her wealth). She became infatuated with William Wellesley-Pole junior (nephew of the Duke of Wellington) who was only interested in her fortune. Catherine married him but died a broken woman at the age of 35 and her family agreed that William had ‘killed her.’ Her husband had run up great debts and left her destitute.

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Section of a letter from the renowned clergyman and writer Reverend Jackson to Mr Long dated April 16^th, 1858. He was fascinated by the Long Family Pedigree.

 
 
947/1785  Page from the visitors book, 1850s. Thomas Critchley was visiting for partridge shooting!

The house became a school run by the Rev. Dr. F. Knight who moved from Bradford on Avon.  Some of the old pupils of the school have written in the visitors book (also shown above); Samuel Sneade Brown of Bath wrote an entry on 1^st October 1857:

 ‘Joined Dr. Knight’s School at Bradford in 1816 and came here with the rest of the school in 1817. Remained here until 1821 when I went to Charter House – went to India in 1827. Returned home in 1842 and visited the old place in that year and again in 1843. Returned to India in 1844 and left it on retirement from the Service in 1854. In the same year I had the pleasure of meeting the Revd Mr Thomas Knight, now a married man and prosperous one, at his living near Exeter, also Miss Knight, and Mrs Knight the widow of Dr. Knight, who received us most kindly. Those who have been at this school will excuse this piece of egotism’.

Mr Knight worked as a bookseller near St. James’ Palace before becoming a clergyman.

 
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 ‘A device of a Stag’s Horn, with the Motto “Envy will lye”, formerly on the windows of Wraxall House’ by Rev. Jackson.

 
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Etching of South Wraxall Manor taken from an article in the Gentleman’s Magazine, Vol. IX 1 1838, p. 257-259

 
John Aubrey visited South Wraxall Manor and seemed to know the family well. Thomas Larkins Walker tells us of Aubrey’s comments regarding the means by which Sir Walter Long’s second wife got her husband to disinherit his eldest son. Upon Sir Walter’s death, the family of the older son commenced a suit and the eldest son kept South Wraxall. The second son (also called Walter) took Draycot Cerne instead. In the frontispiece of Walker’s book you can see Miss Katherine Long walking in the plaisaunce with her dog. 
 

 
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‘Manor House at South Wraxhall’ by Thomas Larkins Walker, 1838

South Wraxall Manor was sold by the Long family in the 1960's. John Taylor, bass guitarist from Duran Duran, bought the property in 2004.

948/1788 Printed pamphlet c.1880

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