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Agreement with John Long to serve as keeper of the park at Dyrham (D1799/E175)

To counter poachers, all estates appointed game keepers. This is an agreement with John Long to serve as keeper of the park at Dyrham in 1715, where he swore to use ‘utmost care & diligence both in the park and warrens and doing all other things belonging to the office of a keeper & a warrener.’ The main task was to protect the game – typically deer and rabbits – and the woods (and any felled timber) from thieves and other predators but keepers were also expected to seek out and apprehend trespassers and poachers. He was given an annual wage and use of The Lodge as a home, paying only for his own fires – although he was to receive a ‘load of coal’ once a year.