Tong 600 Appeal

St Bartholomew's Church at Tong will be 600 years old in 2010. This notable landmark is often described as ‘The Westminster Abbey of the Midlands’.

The church appears in Simon Jenkins’ Thousand Best Churches in England and is one of the very few Grade I listed churches in Shropshire.

St Bartholomew's Church is also recognised as the setting for the closing chapters of Charles Dickens’ “The Old Curiosity Shop”.

Most importantly it remains a thriving focus of activity in the parish and a much-loved place of worship.

To make a donation go to our Donate page, or to find information of fund raising events visit Events page. We have put together a collection of pictures to celebrate the church with an online guide letting you explore the many interesting features of the church, and a slide show of the whole picture collection.

The Tong600 appeal pages are part of the Discovering Tong web site, which promotes a recent book on Tong. Buying a copy of the book will also contribute funds to support the maintenance of the church.

However, despite the significance of its heritage, Tong is a tiny parish with less than 200 inhabitants. Thus the responsibility of caring for this great building is laid upon a very small group of people.

As well as being a significant example of early fifteenth century architecture, the Church contains the tombs of many members of the Vernon family.

It has retained numerous original features including 16 Choir Stalls with misericords; the original Chancel screens and pews; a fine 16th century Chantry Chapel and the tomb to Sir Thomas Stanley with an epitaph written for him by William Shakespeare.

Its unusually shaped tower contains, among others, The Great Bell of Tong which is the largest bell in Shropshire.

But a building of this sort needs regular on-going care, and the few need the help of the many to sustain it. Assistance has come from English Heritage who recognise the significance of the building - but a significant remainder must be met by donations.

Over the past 30 years, the people of Tong have raised £40,000, money which has been used for work on:

Conservation of the Golden Chapel
Replacement flooring in the vestry
The installation of temporary heating
Making good the roof and pinnacles
The maintenance of the churchyard

We face the urgent challenge of funding:

Considerable work on the roof - if the roof is not well maintained, the whole building is in danger (estimate £75,000)
The restoration of the West Window containing original 15th century glass (estimate £25,000)
The restoration of the East Window, one of the finest examples of the work of the Victorian stained glass artist C.E. Kempe (estimate £25,000)
Improved heating, as the current system is woefully inadequate (estimate £50,000)

In addition we would like to raise a capital sum of £50,000 for on-going repairs to the fabric of the church and to maintain the fine churchyard, bringing our target to £225,000. The parishioners are doing all they can, but are looking for significant gifts to help and are hoping for at least 600 people to share in their appeal.

You could contribute £500 a year, (£10 a week), for 5 years, which with Gift Aid would raise £3,200
You might choose to pay for a pane of glass at £5, or give £2000 for one whole section, or dedicate your gift for a part of the roof or the new heating system.
You might like to offer a gift in memory of a loved one or to mark an anniversary, or you could remember Tong Church in your will.

All donations will be recorded in a 600th Anniversary memorial book, which will be on permanent display in the church, and everyone who supports our appeal will be invited to the Tong 600 Anniversary Party.

Please help us save our church for the generations to come. Details are on our donate page. For more of the fascinating history of Tong please visit our Discovering Tong book pages. The Tong600 appeal has been recently featured on the BBC web site.