St Bartholomew’s church in Tong, Shropshire is considered one of the country’s finest parish churches with its impressive collection of medieval art. The church dates back to the 15th century and features battlements, pinnacles, and a unique octagonal central tower with a short spire. It was once a former collegiate and ruins of the old college buildings can still be seen in the field to its west.
Inside, the church is filled with history and original furnishings, such as the nave pews and chancel stalls with a set of misericords and various other interesting carvings. The medieval glass has mostly disappeared, but some significant fragmentary figures are reset in the west window, which were used as reference by Kempe’s studio when they created new stained glass for the east window in the 1880s, incorporating reconstructions of the damaged original figures.
The church is renowned for its collection of tombs with effigies to members of the Vernon family. There are six major tombs with effigies (except one with brasses instead) all crowded together with little space between, mostly of the 15th and early 16th centuries. The finest feature of all is the beautiful fan-vaulted Vernon chantry chapel, built in 1515 on the south side. It is situated behind its builder, Harry Vernon’s tomb, and, like the chapel ceiling, retains many traces of its medieval paintwork. The most unusual of Tong’s medieval monuments is found on the west wall of this intimate space, the upper half of a figure emerging from a canopied niche, believed to be the portrait of Arthur Vernon who died in 1517.
The church’s aisle screens, adorned with some particularly fine foliage carving and traces of their original coloring, have also survived. However, the medieval glass has mostly disappeared except for some significant fragmentary figures reset in the west window, which were used as reference by Kempe’s studio when they created new stained glass for the east window in the 1880s, incorporating reconstructions of the damaged original figures.
St Bartholomew’s church at Tong is a veritable treasure house of medieval art and is much celebrated and visited. It is normally open for visitors to enjoy the marvels of its outstanding features and beautiful historic designs.
Posted by Aidan McRae Thomson on 2012-05-28 20:12:31