page_title: St Bartholomew's Church, Tong
section_title: Tombs
hierarchical_section_title: St Bartholomew's Church, Tong / Interior / Tombs
caption_attribution_description: English: tomb of Sir William Vernon and his wife, Margaret Swynfen, in St Bartholomew's parish church, Tong, Shropshire
context_page_description: The Collegiate Church of St Bartholomew, Tong is a 15th-century church in the village of Tong, Shropshire, England, notable for its architecture and fittings, including its fan vaulting in a side chapel, rare in Shropshire, and its numerous tombs. It was built on the site of a former parish church and was constructed as a collegiate church and chantry on the initiative of Isabel Lingen, who acquired the advowson from Shrewsbury Abbey and additional endowments through royal support. Patronage remained with the lords of the manor of Tong, who resided at nearby Tong Castle, a short distance to the south-west, and the tombs and memorials mostly represent these families, particularly the Vernons of Haddon Hall, who held the lordship for more than a century. Later patrons, mostly of landed gentry origin, added further memorials, including the Stanley Monument which is inscribed with epitaphs specially written by William Shakespeare.
  The church was the site of a minor skirmish during the English Civil War and also hosts the grave of Little Nell from Charles Dickens' The Old Curiosity Shop, despite the character being entirely fictitious.
context_section_description: In the nave and aisles are many monuments, tombs and effigies celebrating the lives of many of its worshippers, gentry and former owners. The most famous is the Stanley monument which used to be on the north side of the altar in the church, but was moved to the south transept in the 18th century by George Durant II to make way for a monument to his father, George Durant I. There are two epitaphs inscribed on the Stanley monument, written by Shakespeare at the behest of Sir Edward Stanley for his parents, when the two met (surmised to be in London by Moorwood). This gives Tong Church the distinction of being the only setting where two of Shakespeare's epitaphs are carved into stone in one place. The only other epitaph written by Shakespeare that is carved in stone is that on Shakespeare's own grave in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare's connection to the Stanley family lies in the fact that they were (alongside other families) his patrons when he was in Lancashire. The two epitaphs are said to be very close in literature to sonnets 55 and 81 by Shakespeare.
  The tomb itself is on two levels with the upper level displaying the effigies of Sir Thomas Stanley and his wife, Margaret Vernon. The lower level has an effigy of their son, Edward, who is not memorialised with his wife as her tomb is in St Mary's Church in Walthamstow. The decorative figures that used to adorn the tomb (and are now much damaged) have been placed on the upper part of the Burgundian arch. Sir Thomas and his wife have their hands clasped in prayer, whereas Edward has his right hand on his chest. According to Watney, writing in the Church Monuments Society journal, this placement of Edward's hand signifies that the tomb was completed in his lifetime.
  Effigies of Sir Fulke and Dame Isabel de Pembrugge lie together on a tomb located at the north side of the tower. The tomb is made from Nottingham Alabaster and has sustained some damage, although some of the original black paint in Isabel de Pembrugge's widow dress is still visible today. Dame Isabel died in 1446 and every Midsummer's Day, a chaplet of roses is placed around her head. RW Eyton, the great Shropshire antiquarian, reported in 1855 that this tradition had at that time died out, although he quoted an anonymous correspondent of The Gentleman's Magazine for 1800 to show that it had been alive, if not understood, in the late 18th century.
  The effigies lie on an altar-tomb, and had the remains of a garland of flowers (then nearly reduced to dust) round the neck and breast. The sexton told me, that on every Midsummer day a new garland was put on, and remained so until the following, when it was annually renewed. As this is a singular custom, I could not forbear noticing it, and wish to be informed what was the origin of it.
  Eyton explained that the custom was rooted in a deed sufficiently unusual to be recorded by the herald William Dugdale, by which a lord of Tong, Roger la Zouche, some time between 1237 and 1247, had granted land and rights to a neighbouring landowner.
  This Roger, being Lord of the Mannor of Tonge, in Com. Salop. … did, by a fair Deed grant to Henry de Hugefort, and his Heirs, three Yard-Land, three Messuages, and certain Woods lying in Norton, and Shawe, (in the Parish of Tonge) with Paunage for a great number of Hogs, in the Woods belonging to that Mannor: As also liberty of Fishing in all his Waters there, excepting the great Pool of Tonge; with divers other Privileges, viz. of getting Nuts in those Woods for several days, &c. Rendring yearly to him the said Roger, and his Heirs, a Chaplet of Roses, upon the Feastday of the Nativity of St. Iohn Baptist, in case he or they should be then at Tonge; if not, then to be put upon the Image of the Blessed Virgin, in the Church of Tonge.
  Subsequent authors have asserted out that since the Reformation when the statue was removed, the churchgoers have placed the flowers into the hands of the churches' "other lady". However, the original terms indicated that the chaplet was owed by the Hugford family to Roger la Zouche and his heirs, so the
caption: 15th-century tomb of Sir William Vernon and his wife, Margaret Swynfen
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