Walter Long (of South Wraxall)
Encyclopedia
Walter Long of South Wraxall
, near Bradford-on-Avon, (c1712-1807), the great-great-great grandson of Sir Walter Long of South Wraxall and Draycot was born in Wiltshire
, and had inherited along with other family estates, the 15th Century South Wraxall Manor. (This manor eventually devolved onto Walter, the 1st Viscount Long
and having been finally sold by the Long family in the 1960's, after several hundred years of continuous ownership, was in 2004 purchased by John Taylor (bass guitarist) of the band Duran Duran
.) His ancestors made their wealth initially as clothiers. He served as High Sheriff of Wiltshire
for 1764.
He lived till at least 93 years of age, dying at Bath in 1807, bequeathing the bulk of his fortune to the sons of his cousin, Richard Long of Rood Ashton
, Wiltshire.
Walter Long knew that Elizabeth was in love with a young playwright, Richard Brinsley Sheridan
(with whom she later eloped in 1772). The whole business was well publicised at the time, and soon became the subject of a satirical play The Maid of Bath written by Samuel Foote
, which opened in 1771 at the Haymarket Theatre
in London. Sheridan was one of Foote's favourite targets. Long's character, played by Foote himself, was named Solomon Flint, described as a "fat, fusty, shabby, shuffling, money loving, water drinking, mirth-marring, amorous old huncks", who "owns half the farms in the country", being 60 at least and "a filthy old goat! He supposedly has a rumbling old family coach and a moated haunted old house in the country..”
Foote was frequently threatened with libel suits. Walter Long heard about the play before it was produced and tried unsuccessfully to persuade Foote to abandon the whole thing, even threatening violence against him. He commenced an action for damages against Foote, but the affair seems to have ended there.
South Wraxall
South Wraxall Manor is a Grade I listed country house which dates from the early 15th century, located at South Wraxall in the English county of Wiltshire, near Bradford on Avon...
, near Bradford-on-Avon, (c1712-1807), the great-great-great grandson of Sir Walter Long of South Wraxall and Draycot was born in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, and had inherited along with other family estates, the 15th Century South Wraxall Manor. (This manor eventually devolved onto Walter, the 1st Viscount Long
Viscount Long
Viscount Long, of Wraxall in the County of Wiltshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1921 for the Conservative politician Walter Long, who had previously served as Member of Parliament, President of the Board of Agriculture, President of the Local Government...
and having been finally sold by the Long family in the 1960's, after several hundred years of continuous ownership, was in 2004 purchased by John Taylor (bass guitarist) of the band Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
.) His ancestors made their wealth initially as clothiers. He served as High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
for 1764.
He lived till at least 93 years of age, dying at Bath in 1807, bequeathing the bulk of his fortune to the sons of his cousin, Richard Long of Rood Ashton
West Ashton
West Ashton is a village civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is two miles south of Trowbridge, on the A350 road between Melksham and Yarnbrook bypassing Trowbridge....
, Wiltshire.
Marriage controversy
At the age of about 60, and never previously married, Long became engaged to Elizabeth Linley, a celebrated icon of the town of Bath, a gifted singer and great beauty. She was about 16 years old. The engagement was arranged by her father Thomas Linley, an impoverished composer, who had his eyes on Long’s great wealth. The marriage did not take place however, Walter Long is said to have dissolved the contract, after Elizabeth secretly told him she would never be happy as his wife, taking on himself the entire blame for breaking off the alliance. He reputedly paid her father, who was proceeding to bring the transaction into court, a settlement of ₤3000. Elizabeth was allowed to keep the jewels and other gifts Long had showered upon her during their engagement.Walter Long knew that Elizabeth was in love with a young playwright, Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan was an Irish-born playwright and poet and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. For thirty-two years he was also a Whig Member of the British House of Commons for Stafford , Westminster and Ilchester...
(with whom she later eloped in 1772). The whole business was well publicised at the time, and soon became the subject of a satirical play The Maid of Bath written by Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote
Samuel Foote was a British dramatist, actor and theatre manager from Cornwall.-Early life:Born into a well-to-do family, Foote was baptized in Truro, Cornwall on 27 January 1720. His father, John Foote, held several public positions, including mayor of Truro, Member of Parliament representing...
, which opened in 1771 at the Haymarket Theatre
Haymarket Theatre
The Theatre Royal Haymarket is a West End theatre in the Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use...
in London. Sheridan was one of Foote's favourite targets. Long's character, played by Foote himself, was named Solomon Flint, described as a "fat, fusty, shabby, shuffling, money loving, water drinking, mirth-marring, amorous old huncks", who "owns half the farms in the country", being 60 at least and "a filthy old goat! He supposedly has a rumbling old family coach and a moated haunted old house in the country..”
Foote was frequently threatened with libel suits. Walter Long heard about the play before it was produced and tried unsuccessfully to persuade Foote to abandon the whole thing, even threatening violence against him. He commenced an action for damages against Foote, but the affair seems to have ended there.
Further Reading
Sources
- The Maid of Bath, by Samuel Foote 1771
- Memoirs of the Life of Right Honorable Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Vol 1 by Thomas Moore
- Love Romances of The Aristocracy By Thornton Hall, F.S.A.
- A Nest of Linnets by Frankfort Moore 1901
- The Invisible Woman: aspects of women's work in eighteenth-century Britain By Isabelle Baudino ISBN 0754635724