Location: Wiltshire, England
Just about a two hour scenic drive from London lays South Wraxall Manor, one of the most celebrated country houses in England. Dating from the 15th century, John and Gela Taylor’s magnificent home has exceptional architectural features including two of the finest Jacobean fireplaces in existence. When the BBC produced the series “The Country House Revealed” they chose South Wraxall Manor for episode one, finding so much of English history in it’s story, from Henry VIII and Walter Raleigh, to Shakepeare and Ian Fleming. Gela Taylor is one of the founders of Juicy Couture and John Taylor is a member of Duran Duran. I had the pleasure of staying there for 3 nights due to the generosity of a friend of mine. The Taylor’s could not have been more fun, interesting and gracious hosts. Their staff was warm and friendly. I got to stay in the Sir Walter Raleigh bedroom. An experience I will never forget.
lucky lucky lucky! To live in a home like this!!! I would NEVER leave!! With soo much history.. Just beautiful
This is my family masion!
Oh wow!!!!!
the Longs are my descendants
As are mine my mother is Davette Long
I think you mean ancestors – they are mine also 🙂
That’s fantastic! What an incredible experience. Do you you know if the Taylors ever host the general public for tours or overnight stays? I am a direct descendant of the Longs of South Wraxall and I’m planning a trip to England next year to see the place of my family’s origins.
It was an amazing experience. Our trip was planned by a mutual friend with proceeds being donated to charity. I’m sure you could inquire as to whether they allow tours. Good luck!!
I just read about your visit to South Wraxall Manor. Gela’s father was my second cousin, but his family moved to Texas when I was a child and I never saw them again. I’ve tried for years to get back in touch. Because of the Holocaust, my family is very small this is important to me. I had been searching for Nancy Jacobson (Gela’s birth name) so my search was unsuccessful for a long time. Is there any help you can give me in reaching her? (postal address? email address? cell phone?) Or, if you want to ask me more questions first to verify that this is only a cousin reaching out to a cousin and I have no other motive (monetary or otherwise), I’d be happy to answer anything. I was only trying to keep this brief. Thank you so much.
Mine as well, I traced all my paternal ancestry to the Longs of Wiltshire who decend ultimately from Raoul de Préaux of Normandy who decended from Maluhulc Eysteinsson of Norway who is uncle to Rollo, founder of the Duchy of Normandy and great great grandfather of William the Conqueror, from whence all the English Royal family from him on have lineage through. We came to England with William to fight in the battle of hastings and conquer it from Harold Godwinson. Osbert de Preaux, Baron of Roumois, Rouen Normandy. We adopted the last name Long as a nickname for being tall sometime in the mid 13th century. My 15th great grandfather Sir Thomas Long of Draycot was Knighted by Henry VIII. My 26th great grandfather William de Preaux and his brother Pierre assisted King Richard 1 the lion heart on the 3rd crusade.
Other Long family decendents, if you want more information feel free to reach out to me, I’ll see what I can find for you regarding our lineage. I traced all the way back to a viking in Norway named Svidri Heytsson 798AD. We are also distant cousins to the house of Normandy. [email protected]