despite cirencester's relatively large electorate, the local landowners (or "patrons") were able to exert a very substantial influence over the elections, and it could probably be fairly described as a pocket borough. from at least the start of the 18th century, the bathurst family were lords of the manor and had a share of the patronage, almost invariably filling one of the seats themselves and occasionally nominating the other mp as well. the master family, whose influence predated that of the bathursts, were able to command the second seat for long periods. in the 18th century, both the bathursts and the masters were tories. nevertheless, there were signs that the townspeople could show independence on occasion: in 1754, when the head of the masters was a child and the bathursts tried to take both seats, cirencester shocked its tory patrons by electing a local whig nobleman instead.