Sir Henry Long
Sir Henry Long (c.1489 - 1556) was born in Wiltshire, the eldest son and heir of Sir Thomas Long of Draycot, land owner, of Draycot Cerne in Wiltshire, and his wife, Margery (died in or after 1508), daughter of Sir George Darrell of Littlecote House in Wiltshire.

Long was appointed High Sheriff for Wiltshire in 1512, 1526, 1536 and 1542, and for Dorset 1539. He was High Sheriff for Somerset in 1538 and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire 1552-1553. He was also Hereditary Bailiff of Charlton Wood and Keeper of Braden Forest, east of Malmesbury.

Together with his brother Richard, he was present at the baptism of Prince Edward. He inherited the manor of Stock & Stockley from his father and later purchased the manor of South Wraxall. Long was at the Siege of Boulogne, having the command of 200 men, whom he railed for that expedition. His Captain was severely wounded in an unsuccessful attack on the castle, 1st September 1544. He also accompanied Henry VIII to the Field of the Cloth of Gold and was knighted for making a gallant charge at Therouenne at Picardy in the sight of the King, for which he was granted a new crest, consisting of a lions head with a man's hand in its mouth.

Long's close relationship with Henry VIII paid dividends at the Dissolution of the Monasteries, with grants of land in Wiltshire; Lyneham and Littlecote in Hilmarton, together with the rectory, great tithes and advowson of the vicarage of Lyneham, all formerly belonging to Bradenstoke Priory.

He leased the manor of Fasterne from Catherine Parr who, after the death of her husband Henry VIII, had re-married Sir Thomas Seymour, brother of Protector Somerset. The Protector coveted Fasterne, and negotiated with Sir Henry Long to resign his lease.

When she heard of this, Catherine was highly indignant. She was not on good terms with the Protector, because he had declined to give her some valuable jewels which, as she maintained, King Henry had given her for her own. She vowed she would stop the Protector getting his hands on the Fasterne lease, and would go herself "tomorrow, Saturday, at three o’clock" to the young King Edward, and give full utterance to her feelings against the Protector, his uncle. But the formidable uncle-Protector of the realm was not to be meddled with.

Whether she kept her promise, and how far she succeeded in getting the diamonds, is not clear, but Somerset succeeded in getting Fasterne. Sir Henry Long somewhat unwillingly parted with it for a sum of money and the office of Ranger of Braden Forest for his life.

Long married firstly, Jane (or Frydeswyde), daughter of Sir John Hungerford and Margaret Blount. He married secondly, Eleanor, daughter of Sir Richard Wrottesley and Dorothy Sutton. He had several children with both his wives, including Sir Robert Long (c.1517-c.1581) below.

Sir Henry Long died c.1556 and is buried at Draycot in Wiltshire. His second wife died c.1543. Sir Henry Long's monument lies buried in the south side of the chancell, under a plain altar monument covered with a faire black marble without inscription, it is rested in Draycot Cerne church.

The tomb of Sir Thomas Long who died in 1508 is located in St James Church, Draycot Cerne. Considering it is around 500 years old it is still in good condition, although the somewhat faded paintwork makes it look shabby in places, apparently the tomb was re-painted using water-colours during the Victorian era.

Rood Aston House - West Ashton
Viscount Long's great grandfather Richard Godolphin Long commissioned architect Jeffry Wyattville to build the house in 1808, replacing an earlier mansion on the estate. It was altered and extended in 1836 by Thomas Hopper, who incorporated some panelling and other material brought from another Long family property, Whaddon House, which had been rescued from the fire there the previous year.

The estate was originally purchased by Edward Long of Monkton in 1597. In the 19th century a considerable amount of money was spent on improving its agriculture, but the Long family saw little return for their expenditure, and the changes in taxation on agricultural land brought about by the Lloyd George government, made it financially unviable.

In 1914 during World War I Viscount Long offered Rood Ashton and another of his properties, Culworth House, Northamptonshire for use as convalescent homes for wounded soldiers and sailors. The house and the remaining 4,100 acres were put to auction by Lord Long's executors in February 1930, six years after his death. The estate included 17 farms, 21 small holdings, 100 cottages, 2 public houses including The Longs Arms, and a square mile of woodland. 2,500 acres were purchased by a syndicate of his tenants, finally ending 333 years of continuous ownership by the Long family.

Sir Robert Long
Sir Robert Long (c.1517-c.1581) was born in Wiltshire, eldest surviving son and heir of Sir Henry Long of Draycot, and his wife Eleanor Wrottesley. Long was Esquire to the Body of Henry VIII. He is recorded as being present at the reception of Anne of Cleves, and together with his father, he served at the Siege of Boulogne. He was given the manor of Calstone near Calne in 1538 in a grant by Henry VIII, and at least part of this land was still controlled by the Long family in 1704, when the rent from one farm called Tossells was used for a Draycot charity. He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1575, during the reign of Elizabeth I. He married Barbara Carne c.1546 and they had one daughter and four sons including: Sir Walter Long

Sir Thomas Long
Sir Thomas Long of Draycot (c.1451 - 1509) was born in Wiltshire, the son of John Long and his wife Margaret Wayte, he succeeded to the Draycot and South Wraxall estates on the death of his father on 20th September 1478. In 1501 he received a knighthood at the marriage of Henry VII's eldest son, Arthur, Prince of Wales, and he was also at the reception of Catherine of Aragon at Shaftesbury in October of that year. Long was elected Member of Parliament for Westbury in 1491. He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1500 and again in 1506. He was present at the coronation of Henry VIII in 1509. He married Margery, daughter of Sir George Darell, of Littlecote House, and had one daughter and seven sons, including Sir Richard Long (c.1494-1546) and Sir Henry Long (c.1489-1556). Long died in 1509 and his remains are entombed in a 'rich gothique altar monument' (as described by John Aubrey) in the church of St James at Draycot, Wiltshire. Hanging above his tomb until recently, and authenticated by the British Museum, were his armour Haume (helmet) and gauntlets, dating from c.1490. These are now safely kept in the Devizes Museum in Wiltshire.

South Wraxall Manor
South Wraxall Manor is a Grade I* listed country house which dates from the early 15th Century. According to popular legend, South Wraxall Manor was the house where the first tobacco was smoked in England, by Sir Walter Long and his friend Sir Walter Raleigh. The first known member of the Long family to own land in South Wraxall, was Robert Long in 1426. The last member of the Long family to live at the Manor was Sara, the only daughter of the 2nd Viscount Long, and wife of Conservative MP, Charles Morrison. The Manor was finally sold in 1966, together with 830 acres, after five hundred years of family ownership. John Taylor, the bass player with the band Duran Duran purchased the house in 2004.