St Bartholomew’s, Tong
Discovering Tong
Tong’s Timeline
Major events in Tong’s history.
| Century | Event at Tong |
| 1 – 100 | Roman marching camps at Burlington. |
| 1001 – 1100 | Tong mentioned in ‘Will of Wulfgeat’ suggesting the existence of an Anglo-Saxon church. 1066 Norman Conquest – ownership passed to Roger de Montgomery ➚ (Earl of Shrewsbury. 1086 Entry for Tong in the Domesday Book ➚ as ‘Tuange’. Simple Motte and Bailey Castle built at Castle Hill ➚, Tong Norton. Wooden tower; gateway and ditch at Tong Castle site. 1087 Tong Church built or rebuilt by Roger de Montgomery |
| 1101 – 1200 | Ownership passes to de Belmeis ➚ and la Zouche families. Tong Castle extended and built in stone with Keep and Courtyard; Outer ditch dug. |
| 1201 – 1300 | Ownership passes from la Zouche through Harcourts. Tong Castle extended; Tower built at western end of promontory; Chapel added to Castle. 1267 Henry de Pembrugge ➚ marries Orabel Harcourt. |
| 1301 – 1400 | Ownership by Pembrugge family Much of existing Tong Castle rebuilt as a manor house. 1381 Castle re-fortified as a response to the Peasant’s Revolt ➚. |
| 1401 – 1500 | 1406-10 Foundation of present Church and College by Isabel de Pembrugge. 1409 Sir Richard Vernon becomes owner of Tong. 1421 King Henry III grants an annual feast day – the Tong Wake ➚. 1446 Isabel Pembrugge foundress of the church dies aged 76. Tong Castle demolished and rebuilt in brick as a grand Tudor mansion. |
| 1501 – 1600 | 1515 Death of Sir Henry Vernon aged 70. 1517 Building of Vernon Chantry ➚ (Golden) Chapel. 1518 Great Bell forged and added to specially strengthened belfry. 1546 Dissolution of Tong College by order of Henry VIII. 1563 Tong Forge set up by the Earl of Shrewsbury. 1565 Sir Thomas Stanley inherits Tong on death of Sir George Vernon (he was known as ‘The King of the Peak (District)’). |
| 1601 – 1700 | 1603 Tong sold by Sir Edward Stanley to Sir Thomas Harries. 1624 Tong inherited by William Pierrepont. 1631 Salter family move to Tong Norton. 1642-45 Tong Castle severely damaged in the Civil War. 1651 King Charles II passed through Tong on the way to the Battle of Worcester and on defeat was hid at Hubbal Grange and Boscobel ➚. Duke of Kingston ➚ repairs Tong Castle with stone facing and builds ornamental gardens; fountain and walkways. 1663 William Dugdale ➚ visits the church and makes detailed notes of the monuments. 1678 Death of Sir William Pierrepont ➚ (William the Wise). |
| 1701 – 1800 | 1725 Tong Vicarage built by the Duke of Kingston. 1756 Maria Fitzherbert ➚ born at Tong Castle (mistress and ‘wife’ of George IV) 1764 Tong sold to George Durant I. 1765 Tong Castle rebuilt in ‘Moroccan’ style; Major landscaping produced from plans by Capability Brown ➚ for Church Pool, South Pool, Norton Mere and Lodge Lake. 1780 Death of George Durant I 1797 George Durant II takes residence at Tong Castle. |
| 1801 – 1900 | 1804 Present Almshouses built by George Durant II. 1813 Tong School rebuilt. 1815 Offoxey Road built. 1828 New Bell Inn at Tong Norton opened, the Old Bell Inn next to the Church (now the Church Farm) closed. 1837 Aquatic Tournament at Tong on the Church Pool. 1840 Charles Dickens visits Tong. The Old Curiosity Shop published the following year. 1842 George Durant II builds Tong Hall. 1844 George Durant IV inherits the Tong Estate. 1848 Great Bell cracked on Ash Wednesday. 1849 Building of the Wolverhampton – Shrewsbury railway ➚ which passes through the southernmost tip of the parish. 1855 Tong sold to Orlando Bridgeman ➚ (2nd Earl of Bradford). 1872 Tong School rebuilt on new site. 1877 New church organ installed. 1892 Restoration of Tong Church. 1896 John Auden appointed vicar at Tong. |
| 1901 – 2000 | 1909 Death of Mrs Hartley; Sale of contents of Tong Castle. 1910 Village Hall built. 1939-50 Tong Castle grounds occupied by huts as an overflow from RAF Cosford ➚. 1950 The Spirit of Tong performed at Tong Priory. 1954 Ruins of Tong Castle blown up. 1960 Tong School closed. 1962 New Tong Vicarage built, the old Vicarage becomes a private house (Tong House). 1976-79 Building of M54 ➚; archaeological excavation of Castle and College sites. |
The Domesday Book entry for Tong (1087) – spelled as ‘Tuange’ at that time.
To find out more about Tong please buy a copy of the Discovering Tong book;
the profits from the sale of the book go towards maintaining Tong Church.
Would you like to help us?
The Tong Vision for 2020 and beyond had a target to raise £500,000 over 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 Revd Pippa Thorneycroft ( pippa.thorneycroft@icloud.com ) or
the Vission2020 “Support Us” page on this web site, or visit our JustGiving page by clicking on the image, below.
A big thank you to all our supporters! Particular thanks go to the following:
St Bartholomew’s Church
Tong,
Shropshire
TF11 8PW
General enquiries to:
tongchurch@gmail.com
Minister In Charge:
The Revd. Preb. Pippa Thorneycroft
Tel: 01902 375523 pippa.thorneycroft@icloud.com
Events information:
Tel: 07970 869011
Parish Administrator:
(Weddings. Baptisms etc.)
Wendy Aykroyd
admin@shifnalbenefice.org.uk
Find us on Facebook:
If you have visited us, for whatever reason, we would really appreciate it if you would visit our Facebook page and leave a comment, review or a picture or two!
Facebook link
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 Revd Pippa Thorneycroft (pippa.thorneycroft@icloud.com) or visit our JustGiving page by clicking the image, below.
At present there are no toilet facilities at Tong Church. For an organised tour and at weddings, baptisms and funerals as well as Sunday services, access to the Parish Hall (two minutes walk) is available. For concerts and fêtes we usually provide portaloos.
If you find it difficult to walk up the slope to church to attend services please let us know by sending someone ahead or Tel: 07970 869011 and we will provide assistance. We regret that we are unable to offer this support during the week for visitors.