Welcome
St. Bartholomew’s is a rural Parish Church serving its
local community in Tong, Shropshire and also reaching out to many visitors from across the globe.
Dates and times of all church services can be found on our Parish Calendar and Events pages accessed from the menu above.
St Bartholomew’s Church, Tong is committed to Safeguarding and has adopted the National and Diocesan Safeguarding Policies.
Our Safeguarding Coordinator is Lisa and she can be contacted on 07535 159421.
A brief introduction
We would like to thank Mr John Moore, of the PICS Photographic Club for putting together this rather lovely slide show of photos showing off some of the charms and treasures of our historic church.
There is no narration to the video but if you have your speakers turned on you will hear some very appropriate background music, which is The Miners Prayer, played by the Grimethorpe Brass Band.
Welcome to St Bartholomew’s Church
We hope very much that you will enjoy your visit to our website! You are also invited to visit us in person at our beautiful home in rural Shropshire.
You are most welcome whether you are a worshipper, pilgrim, tourist, or school party.
Quickly jump to a page using the links below or by selecting from the menu above.
Tong Church has a rich & fascinating heritage…
St. Bartholomew’s Church at Tong is renowned as a ‘treasure house’ and its historical and architectural significance is well documented. The 19th century Shropshire antiquarian Eyton remarked on Tong: “If there be any place in Shropshire calculated to impress the moralist, to instruct the antiquary and interest the historian, that place is Tong.” Today, the church is designated Grade 1 by Historic England, primarily because the present building has remained almost intact for over 600 years, with only one later addition, the chantry chapel called “the Golden Chapel” because of its rich colouring and magnificent fan-vaulting.
Tong Church has everything
But don’t take our word for it. Join us on a tour of our beautiful church….
We are able to offer a conducted tour of our famous, beautiful church. This ancient building was dedicated in 1410, and is held to be one of the finest examples of a church built in perpendicular style in the country.
Our tour lasts for about an hour, during which time you will see the famous Golden Chapel, our unique collection of magnificent medieval tombs and carved effigies. You can explore our historical links with Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare and not forgetting little Nell!
And, not for the faint hearted, try a tour of the tower. You will see one of the largest bells in the country! Nowadays, due to Health and Safety concerns regarding the very worn spiral steps and extremely limited space we only let visitors up the tower at their own risk and make them sign a disclaimer, but Bell ringing enthusiasts are often still keen to visit.
Would You Like To Support Us?
The Tong Vision for 2020 and beyond has a target to raise £500,000 over the next 3 years in order to fund urgent and
essential restoration work, and to ensure that all visitors and congregations can continue to enjoy this unique building!
If you can offer your support either financially, in-kind or otherwise, please contact us or visit our JustGiving page by clicking the image, below.
A big thank you to all our supporters! Particular thanks go to the following:
To view details of our charitable status please click here