St Bartholomew's Church, Tong

After our visit to Boscobel House we moved on just a couple of miles down the country lanes to the village of Tong so we could take a  look at the rather impressive church we'd seen many times from the main road on our way to the RAF Cosford Museum at Albrighton.

The present church is a fine example of Perpendicular Gothic Architecture and was built as part of Tong College founded by Lady Isabel de Pembrugge.  She was granted a license to build the college in 1409 and the buildings which housed priests and clerks stood to the south of the church.  To the west there were thirteen almshouses to house thirteen paupers seven of whom had to be 'weak and worn in strength' and unable to look after themselves without assistance.

Let's have a look outside in the churchyard first.

Ruins at the west end of the church were part of the collegiate buildings and were possibly the alms houses.

The old preaching cross on the South side of the church 

The grave of Little Nell which is just outside the south door of the church isn't a proper grave.  Apparently Charles Dickens set the final chapters of The Old Curiosity Shop in Tong and an enterprising verger created the grave as it was of interest to visitors and he found it quite a lucrative occupation to guide them to the grave.

Above is the aspect you see of the church from the main road, is there any wonder we wanted to explore a bit more?

The church is amazing inside, below are some of the highlights.

The view from the nave of the chancel, choir and sanctuary

The ceiling of the Golden Chapel which was built by Sir Henry Vernon in 1510.

Above the tomb of Richard Vernon (d. 1517) and his wife Margaret Dymmok who was the daughter of Sir Robert Dymmock, the King's Champion at the coronations of Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII.  Richard Vernon is one of the Vernons of Haddon Hall in Derbyshire.  Their son Sir George Vernon who was known as 'King of the Peak' was buried in Bakewell church.  Here is a - link to a post I wrote in August 2013 about the Vernon tombs in Bakewell Church.

In the photo above taken in the sanctuary the piscina and sedilia both dated 1410.

Above the tomb of Sir Richard Vernon (d.1451) and his wife Benedicta de Ludlow.

In the foreground the tomb of Sir Henry Vernon (d. 1515) and his wife Dame Ann Talbot (d 1494) beyond is the tomb of Sir Thomas Stanley (d. 1576) second son of the third Earl of Derby and one time Governor of the Isle of Man and his wife Margaret Vernon who was the daughter of Sir George Vernon of Haddon mentioned above.

Stone carvings above the Vernon tombs in the Golden Chapel

The 'Door of Excommunication' in the North aisle is a former doorway blocked in possibly during the Civil War on it is a fragment of an old tomb which is old enough to have come from the earlier church building. 

 There was a castle at Tong of which remains now sit under the nearby M54.  Above is an image of it carved in stone in the church porch.  Here is a -link-to more about its history.

I hope you have enjoyed this short visit to a fascinating building.