Trespass notice issued to Richard Dore King, 1860

This notice was issued by Henry St.John, 5th Viscount Bolingbroke to Richard Dore King on 19th January 1860. It bans Richard from entering and poaching on his lordship's land in Lydiard Tregoze or elsewhere in the County. It reads:

'I hereby give you notice not to shoot,/hunt, course, fish, hawk, fowl, enter or/come into or upon any of the lands and/tenements in my occupation in the parish/of Lydiard Tregoze in the County o Wiltshire - or elsewhere in the /same County on any pretence whatsoever,/ And if you shall do so after this notice/you will be deemed a wilful trespasser and an /action will be brought against you for damages.'

At a time of poverty in the rural community many countrymen were tempted or forced into poaching. However Richard came from a family of substance, evidenced by the window dedicated to the memory of John King in St. Mary's Lydiard Tregoze (1858) and his own prestigious chest tomb in the churchyard.