The Village of Tong, Salop

From the top of Tong Hill the ancient landmark of the Wrekin ➚ can be seen in the West and on a clear day the distant blue mountains of Wales can be seen behind it. It is an area of rolling hills and steep sided valleys, located on a geographical line that dissects England, water to the South goes into the River Worfe ➚ and then in turn into the mighty River Severn ➚ emptying into the Bristol Channel. To the north on the flatter Cheshire plain the water flows north and east to reach the River Trent ➚ before eventually empties into the North Sea.

The name of Tong is most likely derived from the ‘tongue’ of land formed by the two streams that define the southern and western boundaries of the parish. To the East are remnants of the ancient oak woodland that provided hunting grounds – and a hiding place for King Charles II after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. To the North is Weston Park ➚ the ancient seat of the Bridgeman family (the Earls of Bradford), now best known as a venue of pop concerts ➚. It has been the prestigious meeting place for talks ( Northern Ireland ➚ July 2001) and G8 leaders ➚ 1998). By contrast just to the south is the large R.A.F. training base at Cosford ➚ which houses an extensive aeronautical museum.