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All Rights Reserved.
A HISTORY
TONG, SHROPSHIRE,
Church, Manor, Parish, College, Early Owners, and Clergy,
NOTES ON BOSCOBEL,
BY
GEORGE GRIFFITHS,
OF weston-under-lizard.
ILLLJ ST RAT ED.
BY
Edmund H. New, Gertrude M. Bradley, and Charles W. S. Dixon,
Secant) 1E\>itwn, toitf) ^tjtjitions.
NEWPORT, MARKET DRAYTON, AND STONE: HORNE & Bennion, "Advertiser" Offices.
LONDON : SiMPKiN, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent, & Co., Ltd.
mdcccxciv.
Religion never was designed To make our pleasures less."
Watts.
" No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting."
Lady Manj Wortlcy Montague. \\
•' The knights are dust, Their swords are rust, Their souls are with the saints we trust."
The Church was old and grey, with ivy clinging to the walls, and round the porch. It was a very quiet place, as such a place should be, save for the cawing of the rooks, who had built their nests among the branches of some tall old trees.
" Let us wair here," rejoined Nell, " the gate is open. We will sit in the church porch till you come back."
" A good place, too," said the schoolmaster, placing his portmanteau on the stone seat.
It was a very aged, ghostly place. The church had been built many hundreds of years ago, and had once had a convent or monastery attached ; for arches in ruins, remains of oriel windows, and fragments of blackened walls were yet standing. They admired everything — the old, grey porch, the muUioned windows, the venerable gravestones dotting the green church- yard, the ancient tower, the very weathercock, the brown thatched roofs of cottage, barn, and homestead, peeping from among the trees ; the stream that rippled by the distant watermill, the blue Welch mountains far away
Dickens'' Old Guriosity Shop.
li^^v
©^ts Motk 10 (iratefullg Engcri&eDi anir ©etJicatelJ to
%kt (Earl ani) Cr0tint^j6f0 oi §xnMoxb,
an iiiz
jFiftirt]^ ^nni&ergarg of t|^eit iPlartiafle,
april 30ttr, 1894.
18g tf)e author.
VI.
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. WITH ADDITIONS.
The thousand copies which comprised the first edition of my work on Tong, its Parish Church, and early history, having been exhausted, and the demand for the book by antiquarians and visitors aHke continuing, I am persuaded to launch this second and enlarged edition with much con- fidence and hope of public approval.
The numerous illustrations and additional subjects will, I imagine, increase its general interest and usefulness.
These latter embrace : —
The Hengist Tradition.
Some account of the Earl of Bradford's family and ancestry.
Notes upon the Restoration of the Church, Slabs found, the Stanley Tomb, &c., and numerous revisions throughout.
An account of Tong College and its quaint rules.
A document recording the Perambulation of the Boundary of the Lordship or Manor and Parish of Tong in 1718, with local notes upon perambulations, millers, maypoles, the tithe pig, marlpits, Tong tournament, factory, and clockmakers, surnames, &c.
Memoranda of the Durant family.
Tong Church Registers, and a Proclamation found in the parish chest as to Gunpowder Plot.
Some account of the famous Ladies of Tong, viz. : Venetia Lady Digby, Lady Mary Wortley Montague, Mrs. Fitzherbert, Isabella Forester, Lady Stafford, and Dorothy Vernon.
Some account of Boscobel, which is just outside Tong parish, and particularly of the Royal Oak, the shelter of King Charles II ; the faithful Penderels of Hubbal Grange in Tong. The Nunneries of White Ladies and Black Ladies, immediately on the outskirts.
Early Deeds of the Pemburges, Vernons, and Stanleys, forming a portion of this edition, are of interest to antiquarians, and will help, when time permits a fuller examination, to throw more light upon the ancient history of Tong.
I desire to record my grateful thanks to the Earl and Countess of Bradford for their kind and approving letters written on the publication of the first edition. I must also mention the valuable help rendered me by Mr. Walter de Gray Birch, F.R.S.L,, of the British Museum, and by MS. Notes of the Rev. R. G. Lawrence, a former Vicar of Tong.
To others, whose names are mentioned throughout the work, I am desirous to express my obligations for their courtesy.
GEORGE GRIFFITHS. Weston-under-L izard,
30th Apnl, 1894.
Vll.
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
This little book has been printed in the hope that it may be useful in refreshing the memories of those visitors to Tong Church who are already in some degree acquainted with its ancient and historic associations ; while to the many tourists from neighbouring towns who resort to the village, it may be not only a " guide " to the building, but a reminder of a pleasant holiday.
The compiler is not unconscious of the importance and delicacy of such a task as the description of Tong Church, but hastens to defend its publica- tion as supplying the great want of a handy comprehensive guide to a much-visited edifice.
He has endeavoured to introduce, where possible, comments upon its rich contents by abler hands, completing the remainder with an ordinary notice of things as they are to be seen at present. He hopes that neither such simple language — nor indeed the existence of conflicting opinions upon matters of remote date — -will be allowed to detract from the lustre pertaining to the objects themselves.
He has to express his thanks to those strangers and friends who have favoured him with interesting notes.
GEO. GRIFFITHS.
Weston Bank, Shifnal, 1885.
Letter from the Earl op Bradford.
Weston, Shifnal, Feby. 6, 1885.
My Dear Sir, — Let me thank you very much for the book you have sent me on Tong Church. I think it is very nicely got up, besides the merits of its contents as a guide to Tong Church and Parish.
I have looked through it, and it appears to me to be full of correct information, given in a popular way. I hope it may prove successful, and will certainly recommend my friends to buy it.
Yrs. very faithfully,
(Signed) Bradford.
Letter From the Countess of Bradford.
Weston Park, Shifnal, Sept. 6, 1885.
Dear Sir,— I am quite delighted with your book, and accept it with much pleasure. I have read a great part of it, and shall study it one day in the Church of Tong. I cannot but think it is a book that will make its mark in the County. I want a copy at once to give away to a friend, and I doubtless shall want several more. With thanks and con- gratulations on its success.
Believe me.
Yours truly,
(Signed) Sblina L. Bkadfokd.
SmoKi
.^,„^m
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Plate On Page^
Charles I Frontispiece
Tong Church and Vicarage viii
Plan of District ^
Plan of Church ^
Reference toJEffigies «
Plan of Village s"'
Thong Castle and Merlin 6
Tone Church from the East, p. 20 ") ^o
Stanley Tomb, p. 65 >
East window, 3 Screens, and Pulpit 26
Seal of Isabella the Foundress, p. 214...
Font, Tong Church, p. 27
White Ladies Abbey Ruins and Gate- house, p. 194
Sir F. dePembruge IV. Tomb, p. 30
Sir Richard Vernon Tomb, p. 37 \ 30
Sir Harry Vernon Tomb, p. 47
Brass to Sir W. Vernon 42
Sir Harry Vernon's Tong Castle 5°
Brass to Sir A. Vernon 53
Sir Arthur Vernon EfBgy, p. 54
The King's Champion, p. 6i
King Charles II. and the Penderels and Yates, p. i8o
Tong Church— Choir-Stalls, p. 74 ^
Richard and Margaret Vernon Tomb, V- 74
P 57 J
Duke of Kingston Deed 82
Crystal Ciborium 83
Brass to W. SkeflSngton 84
Brass to Lady Daunsey 86
Tong Castle, as at present 90
Vestry Door ; 95
Brass to Ralph Elcock 96
Plate OH Page. Great Bell of Tong, and G. Boden. ) ,„, Clerk ;"'
Great Bell of Tong 103
Sir Thomas More 114
Tong College 12a
The Watchman 129
Forge Hammer from a Coin found in\ Tong Church during the Restora- I tion, p. 142 [ ^
Tong Upper Forge Waterfall, p. 142. ... j
Hubba! Grange, p 204 14a
Convent Lodge, Entrance to Tong Castle 156
Dove-house, p. 11 and 160 ")
Tong Church from the West, and Alms- [-160 house ruins, p. 160 J
Lady Mary W. Montague, p. 166..,
Venetia, Lady Digby, p. 171
Dorothy Vernon, p. 177
Richard Penderell, p. 180 ,
Charles II.. p. 183
"Mrs." Jane Lane, p. 182
Lady Mary, the toast of the Kit-cat Club 167
Mrs. Fitzherbert i6g
The Royal Oak, photograph in 1894 1
Black Ladies, p. 206 jf '^
The Royal Oak, trunk as at present 184
Boscobel and the Royal Oak, copy of a
photograph in 1879 185
The Royal Oak, with brick wall, p. 187 \
Tong Golden Chapel Roof, p. 53 I g-
William Penderell, p. 179 r*"/
Sir Kenelm Digby, p 173 /
White Ladies— slabs, \
White Ladies— from the S. E. Corner !• 200 of Ruins j
White Ladies as a Cart Shed, Tiles, \ North Doorway, Dame Joan I Penderill's Tomb f'°'
White Ladies— hinge /
Plan of Stanley Tomb, Tong 336
166
PLAN OF DISTRICT
CountyBoundary Parish „ Main Roads i-mile Circle
XI.
A Concise Reference to ye Effigies.
VOTICE that ye little number placed against Tach illustrious name refer$
the indtistrious reader alike to ye Plan of ye Church, and ye
Bodye of ye Boke.
From ye Harcourts of the Blood Royale of Saxony, ye famous De Belmeis familie, and La Zouches descended of ye Dukes of Brittany : came Orabel de Harcourt married to Henry de Pembruge of Pembridge, Co. Hereford ; " my faithful! and beloved Henry," as His Majesty described him : from whom in very direct descent — . I
SirTho := Elizabeth de Lingen=
Ludlow
daughter & heire to Sir Raffe Lingen of Wigmore. She built ye Church*. 12
I
=Sir Fulke de
Pembruge
12
Juliana de=Rich: de
Pembruge sister and heire.
Vernon, from tke Vernons off Normandie
Benedicta de Ludlow=Sir Richard de Vernon, ye Speaker of Lei'ster 13 I 13 Parliament, 1426.
Sir Will: Vernon= Margaret (Swynfen), heiress of Sir 14 I 14 Rob : Pype and Spernor.
Sir Harry Vemon= 15 Governor & Treasurer to Arthur, Prince of Wales, elder brother to King Henry VIII., a very worthie Prince.
To ye Ladye Anne Talbot, granddaughter 15 to ye Great Earl Talbot.
Margaret (Dymock)=Richard
17
dau: of Sir Robert Dymock, ye King's champion.
Vernon, Esq. 17
Humphrey=Alice de Ludlow, Arthur Vernon, 1 8 Vernon,
Esq. 18 co-heire of her Pryst grandfather Sir 1 6 Richd: de Ludlow.
Sir George Vemon,'.buried'at Bakewell, leaving two lovely I daughters co-heires,
Margaret Vernon=At Haddon, to Sir Tho: 19 I Stanley, son to ye Earle
of Derbie 19
Dorothy=Sir John Manners, from whom His Grace of Rutland.
Sir Edw: Stanley=Ye Lady Lucie Percie, daughter to ye Duke of 1 9 I Northumberland.
From whom the beautiful Venetia, Lady Digby, and others.
Xll.
"♦/Hirv.
PLAN OF VILLAGE.
5^fl|<Jc,M:tiC^|-#^-^.#:;. 'L^.Hi
■u"!^
TONG — Early History.
T
HE early history of Tong, from the time of the Conquest till the time of the erection of the present church, about 141 1, has been given in the most complete manner possible by Mr. Eyton in his Antiquities of Shrops/iirp, a work so scarce and expensive as to be generally inaccessible.
I have therefore extracted from it his prelim- inary remarks on the place, which form a char- acteristic preface : —
" Tong was for centuries the abode or
heritage of me:i great for their wisdom or their
virtues, eminent either from their prosperity or
their misfortune. The retrospect of their annals
alternates between the Palace and the Feudal Castle, between
the Halls of Westminster and the Council Chamber of Princes,
between the Battlefield, the Dungeon, and the Grave. The
history of the Lords of the Manor is in part the biography of
Princes and Prelates, Earls and Barons, Statesmen, Generals,
and Jurists. These are the great names and reminiscences
with which the place is associated : The Saxon Earls of Alercia,
• — brave, patient, and most unfortunate victims of inexorable
' progress ; then their three Norman successors — one wise and
j politic, another chivalrous and benevolent, the last madly
ambitious and monstrously cruel : then the Majesty of England
2 . Early History,
represented by Henrj^ I., a Prince who in ability for ruling almost equalled his father, and has been surpassed by none of his successors ; then the sumptuous and vicereti^al pride of De Belmeis — Bishop, General, Statesman, and withal very Prince; his collateral heirs with their various and wide-spread interests, dim in the distance of time, but traceable to a common origin ; the adventurous genius and loyal faith of Brittany represented in La Zouch ; tales of the oscillating favouritism and murder- ous treachery of King John ; overweening ambition and saddest misfortune chronicled in the name of De Braose ; a Harcourt miscalculating the signs of his times, and ruined by the error ; a race of Pembrugges, whose rapid succession tells of youth and hope and the early grave ; then the open-handed and magnificent Vernons ; lastly Stanley, a name truly English, and ever honourable in English ears, yet for one of whom it was fated to add a last flower to the chaplet of ancestral memories — to cut short the associations which five centuries had grouped around his fair inheritance."
Jf^l^lHE name of the village has been variously spelt. The ^'(^i most familiar is Tong, by some attributed to the sound or " Tong " of a large deep, full-toned bell ; Tonge, as it was generally'spelt in the last century and previously ; and Tuange, Twange, Tuang, Toang, the sound of a smaller " tang- ing" bell. The working classes call it " Tung," and the sur- names of Tong and Tonge are met with among inhabitants in the neighbouring town of Shifnal.
On the other hand it is said that Tong or Thong was in ancient times the stronghold of Hengist the Saxon, and that the name is derivable from a tradition connected with him, to the effect that the British King who had hired him and hi?
Eaki.y History. \
followers to fight, in consideration of their success granted to Hengist as much land as an ox-hide would encompass ; that thereupon he cut the hide into thongs as narrow as possible, and upon the land thus encircled formed a settlement for him' self and followers.
The earliest record, or rather tale, relating to Tong, is con- nected with Hengist, and is to be found in " The Chronicles of Merry England," of which a translation is given below. Of the state of the country it may be briefly noted that the withdrawal of the Romans to look after their own affairs nearer home, left some parts of Britain destitute of armed soldiers, of martial stores, and of all its active youth ; but generally the country was divided into districts under provincial Governors. The attacks of Picts and Scots led to confederations, headed some by British, some by Roman chiefs, which caused civil strife. This, with a religious discussion (arising out of a dispute between the native bishops and Pelagius, a native of \^''^ales), plunged the country into confusion. Application was then made to the Roman General for aid, but in vain. At this juncture, Vortigern, the most powerful of British chiefs, employed mercenaries to aid in fighting his battles. The old Chronicle may now be left to speak for itself.- " Now a little before the Hallelujah Victory there had been great strife among the Britons, whether one Aurelius, or his brother Uther, surnamed Pendragon, should reign over them, which a warrior named Vortigern, taking advantage of, he made himself king in their stead, and the two brethren fled into Cornwall. Vortigern, finding his crown red-hot to him by reason of the dis-affection of his subjects, and the fears he had of his enemies, resolved to strengthen himself by alliance with the Anglo-Saxons. A detachment of these enemies of his country in their war-galley had just landetl in Kent, headed by two brothers called Hengist and Horsa. To them applied this unwortliy king,
4 Early History.
with messages of peace, desirinj^ them to repair to his presence. Forthwith they comply, and stand before the king. Like most of the Anglo-Saxon race these men were tall, well- built and comely, of undaunted yet frank and pleasing" aspect, blue-eyed, fresh coloured, and with pale, brown hair, divided down the centre, and diffusing itself over their shoulders. King Vortigern havin<e; surveyed them from head to foot, in- quired of them (what he knew well enough) whence they came, and with what object. Hengist being the mercury of the twain made answer, according to the Monmouth liook, as follows: — "Most noble King! Saxony was the place of our birth, and our object in coming hither was to offer our ser- vices to you, or any other Prince in want of them. It is a custom among us, that when our country is over-populated we should cast lots to decide which of our young and valiant men shall seek their fortunes somewhere else ; and the lot having lately fallen upon us — you see us in your presence," King Vortigern, regarding them earnestly, asked what gods they worshipped, he himself being professedly, though not much in practice, a Christian. " We worship our country's gods," says Hengist, " the chief of whom are Woden and Friga." Then said Vortigern, " I regret your ungodliness, but am glad of your coming, for I am just now oppressed with enemies on every side, and if you will aid me in putting them down, I will entertain you honourably, and bestow upon you lands and other distinctions." Hengist and Horsa could not fail of being satisfied with this arrangement ; and an army of Picts presently breaking in upon the country from the North, they went forth with Vortigern against them, and enabled him to gain a complete victory. Hengist now thought he might advance a little on his demands ; and although Vortigern had already bestowed on him a large grant of land, he came to him and said " My lord King ! Your enemies are again making head, and your own subjects
Early History. 5
love you very little. With your leave, we will send over to our own country for some more to help us ; and there is also another thing I shall be glad to mention to you." " What is that ? " says Vortigern. " Why," says Hengist, " the possessions you have given me in houses and lands, are cer- tainly very large, but I have no rank conferred upon me suit- able to them. I should wish to have some town or city made over to me, that I might take a title from it, and thereby find my proper place among your own nobility. " The thing you ask now is out of my power. You are strangers and Pagans, and my nobility would be highly displeased." " Nay then," says Hengist, " give me at all events so much land in addition to what I have already, as I can compass with thongs cut from a single hide to build a stronghold upon wherein I may shelter if there be need, for faithful I have been to you, and faithful I will be." " Well," said the King, " I will grant you that much." Whereon Hengist cut his thongs as narrow as he well could, and having already selected a strong, rocky position, he compassed it about, and built a strong tower thereupon, to which he gave the name of Thong Castle.
Vortigern married Rowena, the daughter of Hengist who became King of Kent, and died in 488.
Hengist and Horsa, Vortigern and Rowena, are said by some writers to be mythical persons. Nevertheless historians continue to repeat the account of their doings ; as there are good reasons for believing that the commonly received accounts of the conquest, are based upon historical facts. (Archeol. Instit., 1849).
The acreage of the parish is now set down as 3,465 acres. The Tong parish in Kent, which reasonably claims to be the one connected with Hengist's stronghold, contains but 1,600 acres, and seems to be now of small account.
A picture of Thong Castle, from Merlin's book, given on another page, shows an extensive fortress occupying a site
6 Early History,
corresponding sornewiiat with that of the Tong Castle referred to in these notes.* It stands upon a triangular piece of ground formed by two streams which unite immediately below the western tower of the Castle.
THONG CASTLE : from
Tlie Life of il6>'U)i, surnamed Ambrosius. His prophecies and predictions interpreted, and tlieir truth made aood b/ our Englisii annals. Being a Clironological History from Bruti to the raigue of our Royal dovereign King Charles, by Thos. Heywood.— London ; Printed by J. Oakes, 1641,
"Merihi. well verst in manv an hidden spell, His Countries oiiiev. did long since toretell, Grao'd in his Time b- sundr- Kings he was, And all that lid predicted came to passe."
*Meilui, according to Plot, being " the British Prophet who flouiish't about the jear48o,'
Early History. 7
In the Britixh Avch(rolo(jical Journal, Mr. Tucker's Report says :
The Hengist tradition is not only credible, but founded on fact. The Prophet Merlin or Ambrosias was associated with Shropshire. It is worthy of remark that th?. author gives the venerable Bede, and Wm. de Regibus, as authorities lor this tradition. Hengist landed 449. and died 488 ; and flourished contemporaneously with Merlin. When also the locality is admitted, and the strange coincidence of the mention of the building of Tong in his life, and the representation of it on the same print with his portrait is discovered, it appears to me there is not only ground for accept- ing the tradition but for acknowledging its probability.
In a letter from a Kentish authorit}' on these matters the following passage occurs :
Hengist invaded and subdued Kent. He had nothing whatever to do with Salop The stronghold of a Saxon Chief was not a stone castle, but an earthen mound, surrounded by a moat. The mcund remains at Tong in Kent, and the water remains at its foot, long utilised as a millpool and stream.
In Dnvirstlai/ bock the word is spelt Tuange, and as early as 1 167 the two names occur of Tong and Tong Norton, which were charged with a fine of a merk for an ofifence their owner had committed against the harsh Forest Laws. Twanga is mentioned by Mr Eyton as occurring 1167, and Thonk 1212 ; 1284 the Manor of Tugge occurs, but of many references Tong and Tonge are the most frequent. The opinion of an eminent Shropshire archaeologist is, liowever, that the name is simply derivable from Thong-lands, i.e., the lands of Thanes or Barons. May not the solution of .these conflicting opinions be that the cimning device of the Saxon in Kent was imitated in Salop in a time when the rewards for great military achievements were generally the lands of the conquered ?
The great Roman Road— the Watling Street —passes through the northern part of the parish, and the .spot where it leaves it (at Burlington), crossing the brook that divides the parishes of Tong and Shifnal, was, not long ago. known as Stoneyford, a name, Mr. Hartshorne says, traceable to the Roman occupation.
8 Early History.
The first owner of Tong, of whom there is any record, seems to have been Leofric, called Earl of Leicester, who governed the North part of Mercia (a) ; he married the Lady Godiva, who, with her husband, is said to have numbered Tong among their vast possessions. Their son Algar, Earl of Mercia, (1057) married a sister of the " King of Wales," their sons were Morcar and Edwin.
The doings of Morcar occupy so prominent a place in the history of his time, that they may be briefly related : —
The rule of Tostig (Harold's brother) being too severe, the Northumbrians broke into insurrection (1065) when they elected Morcar their Earl, which act their king, Edward the Confessor, confirmed.
The dignity and title of Earl was very rarely held, and implied much absolute authority ; indeed Earls were little less than Kings in the districts they governed, which were called Shires. The Earl's duty was to lead his men to battle, to preside with the Bishops in the Courts, and to enforce the execution of justice. He appears to have received one-third of the fines paid to the King.
After the nobles, in the social scale, there were two classes of freemen — Thanes and Ceorls — the owners and cultivators of the soil.
Thanes held lands by honourable tenure of service about the person of their Lord, or in the field, the law requiring one combatant from every five hides of land. A hide is said to be as much land as one plough would cultivate in a year.
At the bottom of the scale were Serfs or born slaves generally attached to the Manor, and sold with the land and cattle, or sometimes used as " live money " to purchase or
(ft) Merci i extended irom London to the Mersey and was the most powerful oi the Seven Kingdoms forming the Saxon Heptarchy .
Early History. g
barter goods, being valued at four times that of an ox. What an unhappy contrast with the present state of things !
To return to Morcar. William I. having won the Battle of Hastings, and devastated part of London and the southern counties. Earl Morcar (and his brother Edwin) submitted to him and swore allegiance at Berkhampsted. They accompanied the King into Normandy (1067), but returned the end of the same year. Edwin for his services was promised the daughter of William in marriage, but the engagement being broken they stirred up the people against William I. ; they were surprised before the affair was ripe, but subsequently par- doned. Morcar joined Hereward, the banished Saxon, who came to England, and became a rallying point for all who were disaffected to the new government. William I. broke up their " Camp of Refuge " (1071). Morcar submitted but was condemned to perpetual imprisonment ; Edwin was slain in an attempt to escape ; thus the last effort to resist the Conqueror was overcome, and the conquest became complete. William I. was now bestowing his new possessions upon his kinsmen and countrymen who had accompanied him from Normandy, and so we find he conferred Tong upon Roger de Montgomery (created Earl of Shrewsbury, Chichester and Arundel) together with the greater part of the land in the county of Salop, f
t Ex. Ross's History,
.>%>
'mi^^mj'm
V|y y|v 4>^ ^;> ^|y ^i> ^|St 4v 4> =/|v ^4,v ifi\ ^Iv :/|V OWNERS OF TONG.
EARL MORCAR, elected by his covmtrymen Earl of Northumberland in the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-1066). Tong worth ;^ii annually at this time. He forfeited it to the King.
KING WILLIAM I. who conferred it upon
EARL ROGER DE MONTGOMERY, his kinsman, "The Great Earl."* Founded Shrewsbury Abbey. Founded or rebuilt Tong Church^; Tong fully described in Domesday Book about 1086, valued at £6 annually.! '
EARL HUGH DE MONTGOMERY, his second son, succeeded about iioo.
EARL ROBERT DE BELESME, his elder brother, who rebelled, and: was defeated, forfeiting it to
KING HENRY I. ; who bestowed it upon
RICHARD DE BELMEIS I., BishAp of London in 1108, a remarkable^ man, a great jurist ; he consecrated several Bishops, gave all his revenue to complete magnificent improvements at St. Paul's Cathe-^ dral, died 1127, and was succeeded by his nephews,
RICHARD DE BELMEIS II., as to Church Lands only, He was Bishopi' of London.
PHILIP DE BELMEIS (as to other lands). They founded Lilleshall Abbey. Some of his land betv.een Tong and Brewood was the sub-' ject of litigation ; the Bishop of Lichfield claimed it — hence probably, the name Bishop's Wood. He granted lands to Buildwas Abbey ; " and to Lilleshall tithes of his mills, of his herds, mares and colts, and free paunage for swine in his woods, also advantage of his woods for fire and building materials, and lands at Lizard Grange, the once proposed site of Lilleshall Abbey. J
PHILIP DE BELMEIS his son, died without issue, as also did
RANULF DE BELMEIS his brother, 1167.
ALICE DE BELMEIS, his sister, who mnrried ALAN LA ZOUCHE, descended from the reigning Dukes of Brittany. Tlie land of " Lusard " is mentioned.
(WM. DE BELMEIS. grandson of Robert, holds land at Tong, Hen. III.)
WILLIAM LA ZOUCHE alias DE BELMEIS, d.s.p. Forcibly ejected a Clerk from Tong advowson, d. 1199.
* The authority of Earls, within their province, was equal to that of Royalty itself. They granted the various Manors to Knights (or armed horsemen) whom they undertook to protect, receiving in return certain military service, generally 40 days every year.
t The depreciation was probably due to the devastation attending the Conquest. Domesday book records that there were then 3 'hides,' may be 120 acres, subject to the Bishop's tax, and in demesne 4 ox-teams, and 13 slaves and poor people with 3 ox-teams, an ox-team being said to be as much land as one plough would cultivate in a year. Here was a league of wood.
I " The grange" of which there are three in this Parish (Lizard, Hubbal, and Ruckley) and many in this neighbourhood, is defined by Mrs. M. E. Walcott from an old document of the 13th century, as " the monastic farm, and included a dove-cot, ox-houses, pig-styes, and stables : sometimes a large one had a hall and two or three chambers abutting on it, a kitchen and a court enclosed with a stone wall, pierced with a gateway. Some granges were only thatch'd, others had slatt roofs." [Ex- Shreds mid Patches, Aug. 16, 1876.] Mr. Hartshorne also defines it as signifying oiciginally a farmhouse or granary or farm appertaining to a monastery, or other religious house, and thus in time the term became identified with the place itself, hence the name, granger or store-keeper, a farmer. Pigeons are still kept at Lizard Grange, as indeed they are at most Granges.
Owners of Tong. it
ROGER LA ZOUCHE alias DE BELMEIS.* Forfeited Tong 1204 to
KING JOHN, who conferred it upon his favourite
WM. DE BRAOSE, 1204 (he had some undefined interest before in Tong). Soon forfeited it to King John, and died an exile : his wife and son are said to have been starved to dtiath. King John again confers it upon
ROGER LA ZOUCHE (before named), who had returned to allegiance, and advanced in the King's favour : he accompanied the King on several journeys : was bound to find 2 men to fight in the King's army in Wales : was no less faithful to his son, Henry HE; made a grant to Hugefort, known as the tenure of Chaplet of Roses.* Died 1238.
(HY. DE HUGEFORT, query undertenant only).
■ALAN LA ZOUCHE (son of Roger). Distinguished for loyalty and capacity, a great jurist, 1240. He gave the monks pasturage for their stock at Ruckley Grange, through all his manor of Tong, and one swine stall in his wood of Brevvde, and eight cart loads of fuel yearly, 1247. He further gave them leave to take old slumps in Ruckley Wood, and provided against their stock straying into his manor of Tong : also leave to make a bridge at Ruckley : the monks gave up certain privileges before granted, but reserved site for a mill at Timlet
: Holloway. D. 1270.
ALICE LA ZOUCHE, his sister, who married WM. DE HARCOURT, of the blood royal of Saxony, was in 1256 prosecuted for wasting the Abbot's trees at Lizard Grange. The Marlpit of Methplekes (? Meashill), is mentioned. Died 1272.
MARGERY and OR ABEL DE HARCOURT, their daughters and co- heiresses.
HENRY DE PEMBRUGE married ORABEL. King Henry granted to his " beloved and faithful Henry " a weekly market at Tong for three days, at St. Bartholomew's Day. The Pembruges came from Pembridge co. Hereford, a family of high antiquity in that county.
FULCO DE PEMBRUGE L, only son of Orabel : his half-brother insulted Prince Edmund at Warwick, and was imprisoned in the dungeons of Wigmore : 1282, is not yet 12 years old, 12S4 holds the manor of Tugge with the vill of Norton. The capital messuage valued at 5s., the fish in the Vivary {i.e. a place for keeping them alive) at 2s. 8d., the Dovecot at is. 8d. ,t and the Water Mill at £2 per year. The Mill was below the Castle in all probability : of rents mentioned, is the Chaplet of Roses.
FULCO DE PENEBRUGGE H., b. 1292, d. 1326. His mother. Lady of Tong, 1297, occurs in a return, as liable in respect of her property of _;{^20 or over, to be summoned to perform military service with horse and arms, in parts beyond the seas, Fulco claimed right to fix weight and price of bread and beer, and to hold a market and fair at Tong. Of age in 1312. In 1314, as a Knight and Lord of Tong, gives to Bishop
* He did by a fair deed under his seal on which was bis pourtraiture on Horseback in a. Military Habit, grantunto Henry Huget'ort, and his Heirs, three Yards-lands, 3 Rfessuages, and certain Woods in Norton and Shaw in this Parish of Tonge, with Paunage for a great Number of Hogs in the Woods belonging to this, Iiis Manor, also Liberty of Fishing in all his Waters there, except in the f;rrat Pool of Tongf, with other Privileges, viz. : — of gathering Nuts in his Woods there, &c., rendering yearly to him the said Roger and his Heirs a Chafilel of Ros-s upon the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, in case he or they shall be at Tonge, if not then to be put upon the image of the blessed Virgin in the Church of Tonge U\r all services, suits of Court, &c [Ex Magna Brit, j In Duke* Lloyd's Shropshire I find a note that the great Pool was a Meadow in 1736, but I aia unable to identify it.
t A dove-house stands in and still gives a name to part of the Park at Tong, between the Castle and Church.
12 Owners of Tong,
of Coventry and Lichfield a plot of wood (? near Brewood). Confirm* free road for tlie monks' sheep and animals from their farm (or grange), at Ruckley, to their pasture at Donington ; also to make a fence and bridge, and site for a mill at Timlet. In 1313, he had King's pardon for joining the Earl of Lancaster. 1319, licence to exchange 10 acres with Prioress of White Ladies. 1322, a Knight representing Salop at York Parliament, and later for Gloucester at second York Parliament. 1323-1326. summoned to levy archers, and engaged in several offices and counsels. D. 1326, leaving a sou, aged 15.
FULK DE PEMBRUGE IIL, 1333. Lawsuit against him by his mother Matilda de Bermingham ; Fulk defeated.
ROBERT DE PEMBRUGE (brother and heir), said to occur 1346-7, occurs
1351- FULK DE PEMBRUGE IV., see Tomb 12. 1371-1410.
ELIZABETH DE PEMBRUGE, Lady of Tong, his widow, see Tomb 12.
SIR RICHARD VERNON, Fulke's nephew and successor, see Tomb 13.
SIR WILLIAM VERNON, his son, see Tomb 14,
SIR HARRY VERNON, his son, see Tomb 15.
RICHARD VERNON, ESQ., his son, see Tomb 17.
SIR GEORGE VERNON, his son. King of the Peak, owned 30 manors (buried at Bakewell, near Haddon 1565).
DOROTHY & MARGARET VERNON, his daughters and co-heiresses. Dorothy eloped with Sir John Manners, upon the night of her sister's marriage, and conveyed Haddon to the House of Rutland.
MARGARET married HON. SIR THOMAS STANLEY, see Tomb 19.
SIR EDWARD STANLEY, their son, succeeded, and died in 1632. He sold Tong to
SIR THOMAS HARRIES, Bart., Serjeant-at- Law. See referred to under Tombs 23 and 31.
ANN AND ELIZABETH, his daughters and co-heiresses. Ann married' John Wylde, Esq., and died 1624, aged 16, see Tomb 23. Tong Castle passed to
ELIZABETH, who married THE HON. WILLIAM PIEREPOINT of Thoresby, Notts., " William the Wise, " see under No. 31. He suc- ceeded, 1640 ; was described as "of Tong Castle." Pie died 1679, and his three grandsons became successively Ear's of Kingston, viz : Robert, died 16S2, William 1690, and
GERVASE, LORD PIERPOINT, their youngest son, gained a peerage, see No. 24. His only child, Elizabeth Pierpoint, having pre-deceased him^' see under No. 31, Lord Pierpoint died in 1715, when his nephew,
EVELYN, 5th EARL OF KINGSTON, created ist DUKE OF KINGSTON succeeded as Lord of Tong. He was father of Lady Mary Wortley Montague so celebrated in the literary world. His son William died before his father 1 7 13, leaving a son,
EVELYN, last DUKE OF KINGSTON, owTier of Tong Castle, and had his seat there. He married the celebrated Miss Chudleigh, but left no issue and on his death in 1773 all his titles became extinct. He, in 1760, sold Tong to
GEORGE DURANT, ESQ., of a Worcestershire family, who amassed a large fortune at Havannah. Reconstructed the Castle as now to be seen. See Tomb 30. He died 1780 aged 46.
GEORGE DURANT, a minor at his father's death. He had issue a son George Stanton Eld Durant, who pre-deceased him, but leaving a son,
GEORGE CHARLES SELWYN DURANT, who sold Tong 1855 to the Earl of Bradford.
THE EARL OF BRADFORD'S FAMILY.
GEORGE A. F. H. BRIDGEMAN, EARL OF BRADFORD, 2nd Earl of the 1815 creation, D.C.L., de- scended from Sir Orlando Bridgeman, Kt. and Bart., a lawyer of great eminence, and Keeper of the Great Seal, 1667, son of the Right Rev. John, Bishop of Chester, 1619 — 1657, — a family, whose seat at Weston Park has passed to them by inheritance from the De Westons (Knight Templars) of Weston, whose effigies in heart-of-oak still remain in the chancel of Weston Church, through the Newports, Wilbrahams, Myttons, and Peshalls. The Earl married Georgina Elizabeth only daughter of Sir Thomas Moncreiffe and Lady Elizabeth Ramsay. In 1865 the Earl died, when Tong passed to
ORLANDO GEORGE CHARLES BRIDGEMAN, 3rd EARL OF BRADFORD, Viscount Newport and Baron Bradford, of Bradford, co. Salop ; a Baronet, Privy Councillor, Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Shropshire ; whose first official appointment was in the administration of the Earl of Derby ; and later in those of the Earl of Beacons- field, K.G., having held the high offices of Lord Chamberlain (1866-8), and Master of the Horse to Her Majesty the Queen 1874-80 and again in 1885-6. He repre- sented South Shropshire in Parliament twenty-three years, until his accession to the peerage. Born 24th April, 1819. Married 30th April, 1844, the Hon. Selina Louisa Weld Forester, daughter of Cecil, ist Lord Forester.
The COUNTESS OF BRADFORD is the youngest daughter of Cecil, first Lord Forester (created Baron Forester, of Willey Park, co. Salop, in 1821) by his wife, Lady Katherine Manners, daughter of Charles, the 4th Duke of Rutland, K.G. Her ladyship's brothers, George, second Lord, and Cecil, third Lord Forester, died without issue, the present Lord Forester (Orlando Watkin Weld) being a Canon of York. This nobleman has an hereditary privilege, granted by Henry VIII., of wearing his hat in the presence
14 The Earl of Bradford's Family.
of the Sovereign. It was made to John Forester, of Upton and Easthope, in 1520, by licence "to use and were his bonet on his hede at all tymes and in all places, as well in our "presence as elsewhere." The name of Forester is derived from Richard Forestarius, who had charge of the King's Forest of Wellington Hay in Shropshire, in the reign of Henry HI. — an appointment of trust conferred by the King when penalties of death were frequently inflicted upon persons guilty of breach of the Forest Laws. A younger brother of the Countess of Bradford is the Hon. Henry Townshend Forester (b. 19 Jan., 1821), the well-known patron of the turf. Lady Bradford's sisters were : — The Hon. Anne Elizabeth,- ivho became Countess of Chesterfield ; the Hon. Elizabeth Katherine, married Hon. Robert John Smith, afterwards 2nd Baron Carrington ; the Hon. Isabella Elizabeth Annabella, married Gen. the Hon. Geo. Anson, and died leaving three daughters. Countess Howe, Hon. Mrs. George Fitzwilliam, and the Marchioness of Bristol; and the Hon. Henrietta. Maria, who married Lord Albert Conyngham, created Baron. Londesborough. The Forester arms are aryent, a bugle horn aahle, garnished with gold, a token of their office. Some further account of the Forester Family who were owners of part of Tong Parish will be given later.
The Earl's eldest son, GEORGE CECIL ORLANDO, VISCOUNT NEWPORT, born Feb. 3rd, 1845, represented- North Shropshire in the House of Commons from 1867 to 1885, and is known as a fluent and graceful speaker, and one of the best shots in England. He lives at Castle Bromwich. His. lordship's Silver Wedding day is in 1894, he having married on Sept. 7, 1869, Lady Ida Frances Annabella Lumley, second daughter of Richard George, 9th Earl of Scarbrough, by his wife Frederica Mary Adeliza Drummond ; Lady Newport's brothers and sisters being the present Earl of Scarbrough, Lady Algitha, wife of Hon. Wm. Orde Powlett, heir to Lord
The Earl of Bradford's Family, 15
Bolton ; the Marchioness of Zetland, Countess Grosvenor, and the Hon. Osbert Lumley. Lord Newport has issue: Sons — the Hon. Orlando (b. 6 Oct. 1873), Hon. Richard Orlando Beaconsfield, (b. 1879, god-son to Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield), and Hon. Henry Geo. Orlando (b. 1882); daughters — the Hen. Beatrice Adine (b. 1870), the Hon. Margaret Alice (b. 1872, now Countess of Dalkeith), Hon. Helena Mary (b. 1875, god-daughter of H.R.H. Princess Christian), Hon. Florence Sibell (b. 1877). The Hon. Orlando Bridgeman made a voyage round the world in 1893, and all will welcome the attainment of his majority this year ; while the Hon. Richard is a Naval Cadet. The Hon. Margaret piarried January 30, 1893, John Charles, Earl of Dalkeith, son and heir to the Duke of Buccleuch, and has issue Margaret. Ida, born Nov. 13, 1893. Lord Newport accompanied the Duke of Abercorn on his Special Mission from Her Majesty to the King of Italy, in 1S7S.
The Earl's younger son, the HON. FRANCIS CHARLES BRIDGEMAN, born 4th July, 1846, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Scots Guards, was engaged in the Soudan War, and is M.P. for Bolton. He niarried 26th July, 1883, Gertrude Cecilia, eldest daughter of George Hanbury, Esq., of Blythwood, and has issue Reginald Francis Orlando (b.
i 1884), Francis Paul Orlando, Humphrey Herbert Orlando^.
! and Selina Adine. He resides at Neachley. He accompanied the Earl of Rosslyn's Special Mission to the King of Spain.
The Earl's elder daughter, LADY MABEL SELINA, : married Lieut. Col. William Slaney KENYON-SLANEY, I M.P. for the Newport Division of Shropshire, of Hatton
Grange, Salop, and has issue Sybil (b. 18S8), and Robert
Orlando Rodolph (b. Jan. 13, 1892).
1 The younger daughter, LADY FLORENCE KATH-
ERINE, married in 1881 Henry Viscount Lascelles, and is
\ now Countess of Harewood, having issue a son, Henry
. Viscount Lascelles lb. 1882), Lady Margaret Selina (b. 1883),
and Hon, Edward Cecil (b. i^iSy).
THE BRIDGEMAN FAMILY.
ORLANDO, ist Earl of Bradford (who succeeded as second Baron Bradford, and was created an earl in 1815), married Lucy Elizabeth, daughter of George, fourth Viscount Torrington, and Lady Lucy Boyle, daughter of John, Earl of Cork and Orrery, an old Irish family. Orlando's father, Sir Henry Bridgeman, Bart., was created first Baron Bradford in 1794. He married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of the Rev, John Simpson, of Stoke Hall, County Derby, and her second son, John Bridgeman, married Henrietta (only daughter of Sir Thomas Worsley, Bart.), a great heiress, who took the name of Simpson, and thus founded the Bridgeman-Simpson family. A delightful miniature of this lady. Miss Worsley, is in the possession of Lady Bradford, and called " The Heiress of Appuldercombe."
Sir Henry Bridgeman was the eldest son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman (of Castle Bromwich and Blodwell, Bart.j and Lady Anne Newport. She was a sister of the three last Earls of Bradford, of the Newport family, which title became extinct on the death of Thomas, fifth Earl of Bradford, in. 1762.
The Newport estates held by Henry Newport, third Earl of Bradford, Lady Anne's eldest brother, who died with- out issue, were of enormous extent, but were alienated by him from the family very largely. Lady Anne's sister, Diana, Countess of Mountrath, succeeded to a great part of the London property, including the Park of Isleworth, called the New Park of Richmond, and also Twickenham Park, with the mansion-house therein. This lady bequeathed all her cattle, sheep, and horses, corn, grain, hay, wine, ale, and all liquors and stores in her house to Lucy, Duchess of Montrose. Her other properties included Walsall, Tamehorn, Manors of Newton, Bobbington, &c., some of which happily reverted to the descendants of her sister, Lady Anns Bridgeman.
The Bridgeman Family. 17
Sir Orlando Bridgeman was the son of Sir John liridgeman, third Baronet, and Ursula, daughter and sole heiress of Roger Matthews, Esq., of Blodwell Hall, Salop, a descendant of the Princes of Powys and Wales. Roger was the son of John Matthews, Esq., of Court, and Jane, elder daughter and co-heir of Morris Tanat, of Blodwell, County Salop. These Tanats, of Blodwell, were seated at Abertanat, and took their name from the sparkling river Tanat, a famous trout stream. A part of the picturesque Tanat Valley in the Marches of Wales, forms a portion of Lord Bradford's ancestral estate.
Morris Tanat was descended from " Einion-Efell," who resided at Llwynymaen, near Oswestry, Salop, and was Lord of Cynllaeth, who died in iig5. He was second son of Madoc-ap-Meredith, Prince of Powys, son and heir of Meredith-ap-Bleddyn, Prince of Powys, 1132. He was son and successor of Bleddyn-ap-Cynfyn and Haer, daughter of Cilin-apy-BIaidd Rhud, surnamed " The Wolf." Bleddyn- ap-Cynfyn, Prince of Powys, by inheritance, and Prince of North Wales and South Wales by usurpation, was fourth in descent from Mervyn, King of Powys, third son of Rhodri Mawr (or the Great), King of Wales, a.d,, 843, and died 847.
Reverting to the family of bridgeman, and tracing it a little further it will be seen that Sir John, second Baronet (who bought the Castle Bromwich estate), was son of Sir Orlando Bridgeman, Bart., and Judith Kynaston, daughter and heiress of John Kynaston, Esq., also descended from the great King of Wales. The Kynastons, an ancient Shropshire family, trace back through Humphrey Kynaston "The Wild" (1534), through Griffith (of Cae Howell and Kynaston, Salop), to Jorwerth Goch, surnamed " The Red," son of Meredydd-ap- Bleddyn, Prince of Powys. It is curious that the Newport family also trace through a female co-heiress back to Meredydd-ap-Bleddyn.
i8 The Bridghman Family.
Thomas Newport, Esq., ancestor of the Earls of Bradford, married Ehzabeth, one of the co-heiresses of Sir John de Burgh, Knight of Mawddy, son of Ehzabeth, daughter of John, Lord of Mawddy, son of WilHam-ap- Griffith, son of Griffith-ap- Wenwynwyn, son of Gwenwynwyn, Prince of Powys- wenwynwyn (17 Ed. I.) by Margaret, daughter of Rhys, Prince of South Wales.
Gwenwynwyn was grandson of Griffith-ap-Meredith, son of Meredith-ap-Bleddyn, Prince of Powys. Another sister of Elizabeth, viz., Eleanor, married Thos. Mytton, Esq., M.P., an ancestor of the Myttons, of Weston-under-Lizard, whose heiress is a direct ancestress of the present owner of Weston.
Sir Orlando Bridgeman, the lawyer of great eminence, was successively Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, | Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and Lord 1 Keeper of the Great Seal. His father. Dr. John Bridgeman, | chaplain to King James L, was, after filling many Church offices, translated to the See of Chester, 1619, but was driven to take refuge with his son, Sir Orlando, at Morton Hall, and died there, the ancestral home of his daughter-in-law, Judith Kynaston, in 1652. During the troublous times of the Civil War, Clarendon tells how '* the City of Chester remained true to his Majesty, influenced thereto by the credit and example of Bishop John Bridgeman, and the reputation and dexterity of his son Orlando, a lawyer of very good estimation." Sir Orlando's charge to the jury at the trial of the regicides was highly extolled — indeed, as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas his reputation was at its zenith, and " his moderation and equity were such that he seemed to carry a chancery in his breast."
EARLY CLERGY, &c.
ERNULF Chaplain, had the Parsonage.
ROBERT DE SHIREFORD, Parson.
WILLIAM Parson of Tong: he impleaded
a layman as he did not supply boots (?) to his wish. Church
of Tong valued at £^.
1410 Church built and College founded : Wm. Shaw or Wm. Mosse,
Warden.
1411 WALTER SWAN, Minister.
1416 KING HENRY V. gave the revenues of Lapley town, manor
and grange, to the College of Tong, provided Lapley Vicarage be sufficiently endowed, and a competent sum allowed to
the poor there. 1454 SIR RICHARD EITON, Priest ; Warden of the College. 1470 MASTER JOHN LYE, Warden of Tong. made vicar of
Idsall. Died, 1515. 1510 RALPH ELCOCK died ; cellarer and co-brother. 1518 SIR ARTHUR VERNON, Priest ; Warden of the College. 1526 THOMAS FORSTER, died; sometime Warden of Tongue
and Vicar of Idsall. See curious monument at Shifnal
Church. 1535 College valued at ^22 8s. id. a year.
1546 College sold for /•200 to J. WOOLRICH.
1547 Deed of Sale signed by K. EDWARD VI. i6i6 Register dates from.
1639 GEO. MEESON, Clerk of Tong.
1641 WILLIAM 80UTHALL, Rector.
1658 ROBERT HILTON. Minister.
1676 RICHARD WARDE, Minister.
1678 WM. COTTON. Curate.
1688 L. PEITIEll appointed Minister. Died, 1745.
1694 JOHN HULTER, Curate of Tong, buried.
1765 S. HALL died. 35 years Assistant Curate,
1777 THOS. BUCKERIDGE. Minister of Tong.
1785 THOS. LAWRENCE. Curate of Tong.
1791 CHAS. BUCKERIDGE, D.D.
1806 W. H. MOLINEUX, Perpetual Curate of Tong.
1807 JOHN FLETCHER MUCKLESTON, M. A., afterwards D.D. 1835 THOS. HALL, Curate.
1839 LEONARD HENRY St. GEORGE. 1843 GEO. SHIPTON HARDING. 1855 JOHN WINGFIELD HARDING. 1870 RICHARD GWYNNE LAWRENCE. I876 CHARLES T. WILSON.
1882 GEO. CLENELL RIVETT-CARNAC who married a grand- daughter of the poet Crabbe. 1890 JOHN HENRY COURTNEY CLARKE present vicar, late
Major of the Royal Fusiliers. Churchwardens : THOS,
MlLNEli, jun, and G. F. NOR I ON. Lectors: COL.
HON. F. C. BuIDGEMAN, M P., and MR. H. P. SMITH.
Clerk: GEO. BODEN. Schoolmaster: TUOd. GREENER.
TONG CHURCH.
HE present stately edifice which forms so pleasing a feature in the village and lands- cape, is one of few in the country that re- main to us without bearing traces of that destruction which is the natural outcome of opposing forces of men; and it is re- markable, looking back upon the struggles of 500 years, to think thei"e should be found in a country village so fine a specimen of Gothic architecture in practically as good (i.e. unrestored) state now as at the time of its erection ; and this applies almost as well to the interior as the exterior. The present building, worthily described as a venerable pile, is a pure and beautiful example of the Early Perpendicular.
There seems to be no doubt that Earl Roger de Montgomery, the great Earl (and " a very prudent and moderate man," as an old chronicle describes him), founded a church here in the reign of William the Conqueror, within 8 years of Domesday. It is not clear whether his work was carried on or added to by his second son and successor. Earl Hugh, or whether the great bishop and statesman, Richard de Belmeis T., Bishop of London, who had a grant of Tong a little later, and spent all his resources in beautifying and improving St. Paul's Cathedral and the Clerkenwell Priory, had any part in completing the church ; but in the present building there are traces of work which are
Tong cVvuTch ■'-'— from tKe east -^'^-'^ "ii7/.:..'U^;^;^-fiji'^
The Stanley tomb Tong
EM'K.
Foundation of Tong Church. 21
referred, on good authority, to a date at least a century earlier than that of the general fabric as it now stands.
To the pious benevolence of a lady, a widow, we are indebted for this rich and valuable example of Gothic architecture ; rich on account of the undisturbed condition of its component parts, thus enabling us to see the church in practically the same condition as that in which it was left by the monkish designer, and valuable in affording the student sufficient con- current details of the work for his instruction and guidance, with the view to their imitation elsewhere ; thus it must awaken a more than ordinary interest in the casual visitor. In short, Tong Church is a building of national interest, and contains monuments rarely to be found in edifices of the like proportions.
Elizabeth, widow of Sir Fulke de Pembruge, Knight, with two clerks, had in the 12th year of King Henry IV., 141 1, his license to acquire of the Abbot and Convent of Shrewsbury the advowson and patronage of the Church of St. Bartholomew the Apostle, at Tonge in Shropshire, reserving to the Abbot and Convent an annual pension they were used to receive of 6s. 8d. to convert the said Church into a perpetual college, with warden, chaplains, &c. ; the amount paid by Elizabeth being £50, a large sum of money m those days.'''
The College stood south of the Church, and seems to have occupied four sides of a square. It must have covered a good deal of ground, judging by the twenty or more people who lived m it, besides the accommodation for the children who were to be taught there. (See account later of Tong College and its rules and regulations.)
The Church thus made over to the widow of the Lord of Tong was made Collegiate, and by her dedicated, as some
•Mr. Cox gives the amount £40, paid into the Hanaper, i.e., the King's Exchequer. The Hanaper was a Uind oi basuot used in early days by ilic Kings of liuglaiid for holding and carrying the money as they journeyed from place to place.
22 Church — Architectural Features.
accounts say, " to the worship and glory of God and in memory of her husband." Built of a durable local stone, evincing little or no decay, it consists as the plan shews of chancel and choir, nave, north and south aisles, vestry and porch. The Golden Chapel adjoining the south transept was added a century later, and is the only part of the building which dates subsequent to the time of Dame Elizabeth. In the centre, supported upon four lofty pointed arches, rises a curious steeple, which above the roof is square, and contains in the lower story the Great Bell of Tong. Upon this springs an octagon, forming the upper bell-story, containing the peal of bells, the whole finished with an elegant spire.
In a report to the ArchcEoloyical Journal of 1845, the following remarks by Mr. Petit occur, and will best complete the descrip- tion of the edifice : —
" The building affords a striking instance how completely the mediaeval architect felt the importance of scale as well as proportion. In a large church the simplicity of detail in this church would have given an unpleasing degree of plainness. In a larger church much that is now excellent would have been meagre and minute. The flattened roof is here a decided beauty, as it not only gives eff'ect to the embattled parapet, and pinnacles (which, when the finials were complete, must have been very beautiful), but to the steeple itself ; and had this steeple been of more tapering form, the range of spire lights, which are perhaps nearly unique, would have been out of place.
*'The building is essentially a cross-church, yet it neither developes the form of a cross in its ground plan, nor indicates it, as it might have done, by transepts distinguished from the aisles. Such examples are far from common.
"The following discrepancies are remarkable in a building which exhibits so much uniformity in design and carefulness in execution : —
Church — Architectural Fratures. 23
" Difference in north and south rang-es of arches in the nave.
" Mouldings at base of piers diflfer, though the capitals are nearly alike,
" External divisions do not correspond with internal ones, for the parapet along nave is divided by the pinnacles into two equal parts, whereas the interior has three arches between west wall and west pier of tower.
•* Width of the two aisles differs a few inches ; and the east window does not stand in the exact centre of the front.
"The base of the tower is not exactly square, nor is the octagon equal-sided ; the equilateral spire is more nearly, if not altogether so, which renders necessary a peculiar con- struction at its junction with the octagon." This is illustrated in the ArchceologicaL Journal.
The following interesting note upon Tong Church occurs in Mrs. Halliday's work on the Porlock Effigies.
"This is no church of the common order, but a theme for the painter and poet. Situated in a slightly undulating and beautifully wooded country, it is on the whole a building which embodies more of the true mediaeval feeling than perhaps any other we still possess. Besides many features of interest, such as the Vernon Chapel, with its beautiful fan- traceried vaulting, the abbatial-looking stalls, with their richly-sculptured poppyheads and western return ends, and several highly-wrought screens, it contains no less than seven elaborate altar-tombs, forming, along with the surrounding architecture, such picturesque groups as true artists like Louis Haghe or David Roberts would have delighted in. Thanks, as I am informed, to the protecting arm of the Earl of Bradford, it has been shielded from the destroying inroads of the dilettante ' restorer,' the interested ' architect,' and the cheap contractor."
24 ToNG Church.
THE RESTORATION.
''' ITH regard to the Restoration of the Church in 1892, it must surely be a great satisfac- tion to know that no old features have dis- appeared nor old arrangements been ex- extinguished, but that the work, under the direction of the eminent architect, Mr. Christian, has been done thoroughly and well, and in a true conservative spirit. The cost, about ;;^5,ooo, has been chiefly borne by the Earl of Bradford, the patron. The Vicar, the Rev. J. H. Courtney Clarke, Mrs. Hartley and her friends, the Churchwardens, and the parishioners all must share in the credit which is due for collecting the monies to commence this great undertaking, and one which the Committee foimd was too great for their resources. This mediaeval fabric, substantially '* a gem of the middle ages," is again made good, and the ravages of time are stopped ; and patron, priest, and people are to be congratulated upon the achieve- ment of a noble duty, and one which hands on to posterity a monument alike of the Foundress's bounty, of the Ecclesiastic's devotion to art and religion, and of the present patron's munificence. The performance of such a work earns our present gratitude, it multiplies our inherent veneration, and lovingly consecrates the edifice anew to the holy offices of successive generations.
Traces of one tiny patch of ancient mural painting too in- distinct to be of any value whatever, were found on the wall of the nave, when cleaning the wjIIs of the ugly colour which hitherto had disfigured them.
A few modern pews which marred the appearance of the old oak benches have been removed, and the latter with their traceried panels refixed in a little more convenient manner.
The R:iSTORATio>f. 25
The flooring is entirely new, and the gradual rise of the level of it from the West end to the East, which was so marked and uncommon, has been adhered to.
The various discoveries in the Golden Chapel and elsewhere will be found noted in their places under the headings.
A valuable old book of Homilies was found by the Vicar, and also a note that the Royal Arms in the North Wall cost over ;^6o. The workmen also found two old silver coins, one of Queen Elizabeth's reign, during the restoration.
The builder and contractor for the general work of Restora. tion in 1892 was Mr. William Bowdler, of Shrewsbury, who also undertook the carving and restoration of the choir stalls and screens, with a success most visible. Mr. Robert Bridgeman, of Lichfield, has re-erected the "Stanley" tomb, and done other work to the altar-tombs. The mediaeval stained glass which was all scattered about in a fragmentary way in various windows, has been collected and re-arranged by Messrs. Pepper & Boyd, of London.
The Restoration has consisted of a thorough renewal of the roofs, the old lead having been re-cast, and new oak timbers put in where needed, preserving all old carvings ; the Tower stone-work partly rebuilt, the walls entirely cleaned inside and repaired, as also the damaged tracery of the West window, which was long an eye-sore, and caused many anxieties to visitors. A tew missing pinnacles have been supplied, and the parapets, vane, and clock repaired.
Numerous other works have been done, and include heat- ing, with new chamber near the ruins of the ancient Alms- house, the general reflooring, reglazing, new ceiling to tower, &c., &c., and at the close of the work, it was a matter of con- gratulation to be able to announce that a piece of land had been given by Lord Bradford to enlarge the burial ground.
i' ^^>^
IS" Visitors are advised to enter by the Porch and South door, the proper entrance, and to make the circuit of the building in the order given.
ORCH. Ancient stone seats on either side. Fine old oak ceiling with well-carved bosses, pediment, and shields for arms.
1. Door with considerable mouldings. A two-light window on either side, neither of which Mr. Christian thinks has ever been glazed ; old saddle-bars.
2. SOUTH DOOR of Church exhibits some mouldings. Over it is a recessed niche for a statuette of the patron saint.
SOUTH AISLE. Probably the pillars carrying the arches forming the arcade between aisle and nave are older than any other part of the church. Notice dog-tooth ornament on cap of pillar 3, and the labels of the arches at 4 and 5. These features, Mr. Petit says, in his report to the Archaological Journal, may be referred to the 13th century {i.e., prior to 1300), and he suspects that the present south aisle originally formed the nave of the earlier church founded by Earl Roger de Montgomery, as the south side of the pillars is more orna- mented than the north, which perhaps faced the north aisle of the older edifice. Oak roof with carving. Tracery in windows.
Generally, notice the OLD OAK SEATS and panelling of same with tracery ; most of them remain in their proper
I
u
'S) Q <
O Q
Seal <i the
L. a.dy T OU.TI <1 re &s
Nave, Font, &c. 27
positions, but were rearranged in 1892, when modern seats were removed. The tile flooring is entirely new, but a tiled floor of much older date was discovered in the north aisle when erecting the new organ a few years ago. Tong once possessed a beautiful Gothic organ, described later under "Organ."
6. NAVE. Take a general view of the interior from this spot. Notice old oak roof, with carved bosses at the inter- sections. The ranges of arches on the right and left are dissimilar, a common occurrence in medieval work.
7. WEST DOORWAY, formerly closed, but re-opened m 1892. There was found concealed by plaster a very old rough boarding in this doorway, and in it a very small door, 4ft. 6in, high, with double ogee head and rude hinges, and above it, WEST WINDOW. It has five lights, enriched in the upper part with debased Perpendicular tracery, and retains fragments of old stained glass. Subject " We praise Thee, 0 God. "
8. FONT. Old octagonal one of simple design, but good workmanship ; each face exposed has a trefoiled arch corres- ponding with the sedilia arches, and a shield. A hinge and catch still remain, probably appertaining to the old cover. The Font is made a little more accessible, but remains in the same position as usual, viz. : agamst the north-west pillar. There is a step for the priest, and one for the sponsor handing up the child.
NORTH AISLE, oak roof, carved ; old oak seats. Tra- cery in windows.
A slab found in 1892 beneath the floor of the north aisle bears " Here lieth the body of Thomas Poole, who departed this life Oct. the 21st ano., 1739, aged 51 years." Another slab found near the west door bears " Here lieth the body of Walter Glay, son of Walter and Margaret Clay, who departed this life April ye .... 1735, aged 18 years."
a8 Old Slab, Screens, &c.
There has also been found during the restoration in 1892 an interesting incised slab representing, I believe, a priest, having on his arm the maniple, and a dog at foot. Some large letters
LE WARDE . . . ERC ... J are upon it in very old character, which may allude to a Warden of Tong College. Various dates have been assigned to this slab, viz., 8th, 9th, or 12th century. It is now fixed in the floor of north transept, where antiquaries may view, and perhaps enlighten us upon it.
9. NORTH DOORWAY, now closed, and in it notice the fragment of an old tomb now destroyed, comprising a shield of alabaster, with angels supporting it, and at the side some architectural features, twisted column, &c., of stone. The length of fingers and other characteristics have led some visitors to give an opinion that this is the oldest piece of sculpture in the Church. A somewhat, but not exactly similar fragment is to be seen at east end of No. 12 tomb.
10a & b. WOOD SCREENS in north and south aisles dividing them so as to form Chapels in which particular ser- vices were said by the Roman Catholics. These screens are in the form of the letter L (see plan) and are "of very rich workmanship, with the colours well preserved, and only mellowed and toned down by time," Mr. Petit says. The north aisle screen 10a is ornamented only on the side facing the west, and was a good deal damaged, but repaired in 1892. It consists of a central arched opening over the path of the aisle, and on each side of it running north and south are three open traced divisions (time of Henry VII.), the piece returned to the pillar of tower consisting also of three divisions ; the lower part of screen being of traced panelling, corresponding with the tracery above : the crenulated cornice has carved foliage, and a cresting of Tudor character.
ScuEBNS— Efpigies. ^9
lOb. The south aisle screen, the richer of the two, has four openings on either side of the central one, and three returned to the pillar, all of delicate tracery. (Transitional ; about 1400) On the side of it facing the west wall is a cornice (acorns and foHage), and below it is a carved string-couyse of laurel ; on the other side the vine. John Babyn is carved in letters' 4in. long upon the transom of this screen, in Tudor character. A step is observable from the aisle into the south chapel, but not in the north one. II. DOORWAY TO BELFRY.
The next object of interest is the oldest altar tomb, and before describing it in detail it will be well to note that the effigies herein described belong to a period of continuous war- fare, when the custom of wearing complete armour necessitated the use of heraldic devices ; therefore a little note or word has been occasionally inserted, to explain certain objects which at the time of the erection of the monuments had a purpose and signification well known to alt beholders. Of effigies generally the following prefatory remarks by Mr. C. A. Sto'thard (author of the Monumental Effigies of Great Bntain) will enable anyone to appreciate the value of these monu- ments:—"With very few exceptions, effigies are the only portraits we possess of heroes and others in the ages famed for chivalry and arms. Thus considered they make us ac- quainted with the customs and habits of the time. To history they give a body and a substance, by placing before us those things which language is deficient in describing."
In the beginning of the 14th century effigies are first met with in full relief. It was generally the custom to bury the dead in the dress which marked the habits of their lives, and so we find Knights who held their lands by so many days military service represented in military costume, their suit of armour descending from sire to son, or sometimes bemg
30 Sir F, de Pembruge— 1409.
bequ'eathed as a rich legacy. The first body armour was composed entirely of " mail," i.e., links interlaced, when the weapons of the rank and file were bows and arrows—" Eno'- lish shafts in volleys hailed " ; this was succeeded by a mixture of "mail and plate" armour, and finally "plate" entirely. The head was covered by a steel cap or helmet, having a narrow slit in the form of a cross to allow of vision and res- piration.
12. SIR FULKE DE PEMBRUGE AND DAME ELIZABETH. GOTHIC ALTAR TOMB, mostly of ala- baster, with recumbent effigies representing Sir Fulke de Pembruge, Knight of Tong Castle, and his second wife. Dame Elizabeth (or Isabella), daughter and heir of Sir Ralphe Lingen, of Wigmore.
This, the first and oldest of the altar-tombs at Tong, is the one under the north arch of tower, and originally beneath the rood loft,— an honourable place of interment, I suppose, for Chaucer relates of a Knight that '*He lith y grave under the rode-beem."* It rests upon a sandstone base, and is one of the four monuments described in the ArchcBohgical Journal before referred to, and in this guide numbered 12, 13, 14, 17. "They are," the report says, " four monuments inraZw- ahle as representing a series of Perpendicular work, each speci- men being characteristic of the period to which it belongs. The first, though executed with great care (the minutest details of costume being elaborately worked), is comparatively severe and simple in its design, having more a massive than an ornate character."
The Male Effigy :— Sir Fulke was Lord of Tong 1371, and died May 24, 1409— the last of his line.
1 'Archbishop Courtenay (1396) bequeathed his body to be buried in front ot the rood Jolt, but subsequently revoked that part of his will, by a death-bed codicil averring that he was not worth v. ' ^'""5 '"<»i
he was not worthy.
^l^l?ill1fil linltfrlfill lllllml
THE PEMBRUGE AMD VETR-NON TOMBS la^JS
Sir F. de Pembruge, Died 1409, 31
He is clad in armour, partly mail and partly plate — a fa(5t which helps to fix the date of the effigy closely.
For men at arms were here, Heavily sheathed in mail and plate, Like iron towers for strength and weight.
Sir n alter Scott.
Ful wortky was he in his lordes werre,
And thereto hadde he, ridden, no man ferre.f
Chaucer.
*' The Knight rests his head upon the ' helm ' or helmet whereon was ttie crest, yiz., — a Turkish woman's head, with a wreath about her temples, her hair plaited and hanging below her shoulders." This helmet would completely con- ceal the Knight's face, and so warriors wore crests upon their helmets, and coats of arms, to distinguish them from one another on the field of battle.
Then marked they, dashing broad and far.
The broken billows ot the war. The plumdd crests of chieftains brave. Floating like foam upon the wave ; But nought distinct they set : Spears shook, and falchions fiashod amain ; Fell England's arrow-flight like rain ; Crests rose, and stooped, and rose again. Wild and disorderly.
Sir WaHer Seott.
Helmets were made of certain different kinds, distinguishing the rank of the warrior. The placing of a helmet beneath the head of the Knight — with his gauntlets laid by his side, as on tOmb 17 — is suggested by the soldier's actual practice when asleep in camp. Notice the mantlet worn upon the helmet to protect it from stains or rust. The mantlet took the place of the contoise, which disappeared from use about the middle of the fourteenth century. The "contoise" was a coloured scarf, " the lady's favour " or "token" given by her to the knight before he set out to fight. The welding of the joints of the helm is so arranged as to form a cross, a favourite emblem in the middle ages. At the feet of the Knight is a lion, emblem of courage.
t i.e. fiictlier.
32 Dame Elizabeth de Pembruge — 1446-7.
Tie Female Effigy .— His second (?) wife, Dame Elizabeth de Lingen, described as a widow, and " Lady of Tonge," was the great benefactress of Tong, and survived him. Sir Fulke Pembruge's first wife was Margaret, daughter and eventual sole heiress of Sir William Trussell, of Cublesdon, and of Sheriff Hales, Knight.
Dame Elizabeth, about 1410, caused to be built the present Collegiate Church (except the Golden Chapel), and richly endowed it — as more fully described elsewhere. She died 1446-7, and was buried beside her husband. Her effigy is on his right hand, indicating, Mr. Stothard says,* that she was an heiress. She is in widow's weeds, and on her chin a wimple. At her feet is an animal of the deer kind without a head, collared, and with chain of rectangular links. The lady's head rests upon a two-tiered pillow, an angel at each side supporting it (heads gone). The wimple extends round the chin over the shoulders, wiiere it disappears under a hood. The dress is one long plain garment.
Ful semely hire wimple ypinched was.
For, all for heat, was laid aside Her wimple, and her hood untied.
It was upon this tomb that the Chaplet of Roses was placed annually on the 24tli of June, the peculiar and only rent reserved by one of the La Zouche lords upon granting large privileges in Tong to a De Hugefort (see detailed under Owners of Tong), " Round the neck of one of these Knights I observed a fresh garland of flowers, and was informed that an estate was held by the Tenure of putting such a Chaplet every year about this time on the said Tomb," Mr. Cole says, in 1757.
There seems to be some uncertainty as to this monument, Sir William Dugdale, visiting Tong Church in September,
*I think this rule will not apply to the Tong Effigies, .as the l;idy is placed on the Knight's right hand on each of the tombs, and they were not all heiresses.
The de Pembruges. 33
1663, refers to it thus : — " Towards the north side of the Church stands a faire Tombe of Alabaster whereon do lye the figures of a man in armour (partly mail and partly plate armour) and of his wife on his right hand, and on her chin a wimpler. Upon the Helm whereon the man resteth his head is this Crest (upon a wreath), viz., a Turkish woman's head with a wreath about her temples ; her haire plaited and hang- ing below her shoulders, with a tassel at the end of the plaiting. This is sayde to be the monument of Sir Fowke Pembruge, Knight, sometime Lord of Tong Castle. On the sides of this Tombe are divers Escocheons whereon armes have been anciently depicted, but I suppose it was since the Vernons became Lords of Tonge Castle, by marriage with the heire female of Pembrugge, for the painting is as followeth : — L, Blank. IL, Party per pale, — dexter, barry of six empal- ing a lion rampant, sinister, blank. IIL, Barry of six empal- ing fretty. IV., Arg. fretty sa. V., Arg. fretty sa. emp. barry of six. VL, Arg. fretty sa. VIL, Barry of six or and az. VIIL, Barry of six or and az. IX., Barry of six or and az. empaling az. a bend lozengy or. X., Az. a bend lozengy or. XL, Barry of six. XII., Barry of six." Others including VL and XL are repeated.
The above language of Sir William Dugdale does not point to his conviction that the male effigy is not Sir Fulke Pem- bruge's ; moreover he says the arms have been depicted, implying that they were indistinct even when he saw them.
Mr. Eyton argues from the arms thus recorded, that the tomb must be a Vernon one, but the crest of the knight would throw a doubt upon the conclusion that the entire tomb and effigies commemorate a Vernon, as all the Vernons have a boar's head crest.
The measurements of the panelling (including the shields) on the north, south, and west sides, and part of the east, lead
34 The de Pembruges.
me to venture the suggestion that it originally surrounded a single-effigy tomb, now destroyed ; and, assuming the arms to be as above, it would seem to have been a Vernon one, upon which the broken alabaster boar's head crest now lying loose about the church would have found a proper place, as also the fragments of angels, and shields of alabaster found in 1892 among the rubbish beneath the church iloor. As we have, continuous memorials of each generation of the Vernons from Sir Richard, the Speaker, downwards, and as none of them are defective as regards the crest, the thought suggests itself that the destroyed tomb could only have been to the memory of the Richard Vernon, father of the Speaker, whose rebellious conduct resulted in his execution. It seems not unnatural that his loyal descendants should viewAvith indiffer- ence the ruin of a monument recalling unfavourable incidents in a distinguished family's career. The sculpture now at the east end of this tomb (17) seems to belong to another destroyed tomb.
Mr. Eyton appropriates the arms above mentioned to Pembruge, Vernon, Ludlow, and Bermingham, and is dis- appointed at not finding Sir Fulke's first wife's arms among them. Discussing the arms as above recorded, is it possible that the Arg. fretty sable (Vernon), '* the true lover's knot of heraldry," has been mistaken in some shields for Arg. a fret gu., for Trussel ? And again, the Lingen arms are so similar to Pembruge that they may have been confused — Lingaine, Barry of six or and az., on a bend gu. 3 roses arg. ; Lingayne, Barry of six or and az. on a bend gti., three plates arg.
In Hereford Cathedral is a tomb with an effigy to Sir Richard de Pembruge, a benefactor to a priory there, the arms upon it being Barry of six with a bend. He was one of the earliest Knights of the Garter, the 53rd (Edwardian period),' and has plated armour and shirt of mail ; panache crest to helmet, a very rare example of the kind of plume worn in
The de Pembruges. 55
those times, not flowing but stiff and erect. There is a grey- hound at foot, with shaggy mane, and other details are very perfect and interesting.! The effigy has been carefully restored under the late Lord Saye and Sele's directions.
It is probably he, Sir Richard, that is referred to in the Br ant in gh am Issue of Molls : —
" To Henry de Wakefield, Keeper of the King's Wardrobe, by the hands of Sir Richard de Pembrugge, Knight, in dis- charge of £116 19s. 7d., due to the same Richard in the Wardrobe aforesaid, for the expenses of himself, his. men* at-arms, and archers in the war, as appears by a bill of the said keeper, cancelled in the Hanaper of this term. 44, Ed, III. (1371)."
" The war " was one of the great military expeditions of Edward, the Black Prince — " the youthful prince who won his spurs at Cressy — that mirror of knighthood, the first and greatest of heroes, whose victories surrounded the name of his country with a lustre which produced strength and safety." f
It is curious that Mr. Eyton makes no reference to a Pembruge so illustrious as to receive the Order of the Garter, whose name might have filled the blank he found when tracing the descent of Sir F. Pembruge IV. from Sir F. Pembruge III., and whose existence would, perhaps, have restrained him from appropriating Sir Fulke Pembruge's tomb to Sir Richard Vernon, alias (as he said) de Pembruge. The records as to the ownership of Tong appear to be deficient between 1335 and 1371* ; this would not be surprising if the hero, Sir Richard Pembruge, were the owner, seeing he was absent on the Continent with the Black Prince, whose military career,
X Note from Lady Saye and Sele. t Mackintosh.
* See page 12. Under owners of Tong, Robert de Pembruge is mentioned by Shaw as brother and heir ol Fufli de Pembruge III., and father of Fuik de Pembruge IV.
36 The de Pembruges.
commencing in 1346 1 Battle of Cressy), kept him almost con- tinuously abroad until his death in 1376.
The will of Fulke Eyton may be here mentioned, as it refers to Sir F. Pembruge's burial, and also gives an idea of the personal effects of a gentleman of that time. It is dated 1454, and directs that his body shall be buried by his godfather, Sir Fowke Pembruge, within the Chapel at Tong. This does not refer to the present Golden Chapel, which was not founded until 15 15, but to the Lady Chapel, which sometimes, though rarely, occupies a position near the north aisle.
After directing that prayers, &c., shall be said at 4d. each, he gives /lo to the almshouse of Tong ; his best basin and ewer of silver to the priest of the College of Tong ; also " to the saide College a Bed called a fedre bed with the honging thereto of blew worstede ; to John Eiton " alle myn horse and riding harnes," and " harnes of goldsmythes worke" ; to "John the boy an horse and 40s." ; to the Chapel of Tonge a " mass boke " -and " Chalice," and " blew vestiment of damaske of my arms " ; to " Nicholas Eyton one of the good fedre beddis, and a chambre, and a bedde of lynhe cloth, steyned with horses"; to Isabella Englefield " another good fedre bedd," which after her decease was to go to John Eiton.
In an old Book in the British Museum, dated 1796, 1 find " Col. Roper saith Vernon should be a red Knot, not sable.** The same work, in referring to Shottesbrookf (which has the most perfect Gothic Church in its county) confirms the account of a Pembruge and Trussell marriage. It says : —
" Margaret Pembridge, daughter of Sir Wm. Trussell, knight, founded here [Shottesbrook,] 2 Ed. Ill,* a College and a Chantry for a warden, 5 priests, and 2 clerks. He married Maude, daughter of Sir W. Butler, lord of Wemme. His body was seen by industrious Thos. Hearne fwhose father was Parish Clerk of Shottesbrook), wrapt up in lead, and hers at his feet in leather. Their son John died without issue, and then their daughter was married to Sir Fulk Pembrudge."
The arms, Az., a bend lozengy, or, for Bermingham, seem more suggestive of the Pembruge family than the Vernon, Sir F. Pembruge II. having married a Bermingham.
t Cough's Sep. Mon. v. 2 p. 2.
* If sh,e was wife of Fulk Pembruge IV. this date must be a misprint.
Sir R Vernon, Kt., the Spbaker. 37
The arms of Ludlow would not be inconsistent with Sir F. Pembrugge's widow Elizabeth's, seeing she married Sir Thomas Ludlow as her first husband, according to an MS. in the British Museum recording the Visitation of 1584,
13. RICH ALABASTER ALTAR-TOMB, with the re- cumbent effigies of a Vernon and Lady, and most probably SIR RICHARD VERNON, and his wife, BENEDICTA, (? daughter of Sir .... Ludlow, of Hodnet and Stoke- say Castle, Co. Salop, perhaps by his wife, Elizabeth de
Sir Richard, born about 1391, created a Knight 1418, was constituted by patent Treasurer of Calais, 4 May, 1444, resigned it in favour of his son 1450, Captain of Rouen, (the place where Joan of Arc was burned to death in 1431), and Speaker of the Parliament held at Leicester 1426, died 1451-2.
The Treasurer of Calais was an important personage. Vast sums were constantly being expended in the protection and maintenance of Calais during the time the English possessed it, and this money all passed through the Treasurer's hands. The office of Captain was almost always held by a great noble or Prince, and the subordinate officers were of corresponding honour and profit with it, the chief one. In the rolls pre- served in the Tower of London, mention is made (i) of a safe conduct to Richard de Vernon to Vasconia (Gascony), signed by the King at Westminster ; (2) concerning the oiiice of Treasurer of the Town of Calais assigned to Richard Vernon, signed by the King at Westminster, 17th May, 1444 ; (3) the King appointed Richard Vernon, Knight, and Walter Aumener, Custodians and Receivers of the Mint at Calais, i Sep., 1446, and there are many ' safe conducts ' for various persons addressed to Richard Vernon, kni"ht.
38 Sir K. Vernon, Kt., 1451 — Tomb, No. 13.
His father joined in the Rebellion of the Percies, and took part in the Battle of Shrewsbury, Jul}' 21st, 1403, for he was executed there two days after, on Monday, July 23rd, Sir Richard being then ten years of age. It was the impatience of Hot-spur (Henry Percy) in attacking the King's forces before his junction with Owen Glyndwr, that cost him his life, and his followers defeat : a contest remarkable for the bravery of the combatants, and described as " one of the most obstinate and bloody battles recorded in English History."
His mother was probably sister and heiress of Sir Fulke Pembruge, who died in 1409.
Of five pedigrees relating to the Vernons no two agree in all particulars, but supposmg the above assumption as to Bene* dicta to be correct, and two genealogies confirm it, it is not difilcult to discern the exceptional facilities at the command of Lady Pembruge for carrying out the huge task she had set herself, namely, the foundation of a College with its beautiful Church and other accessories, at a place where her own interest was merely as a dowry. Her father, Sir Raffc Lingen, is described in the Visitation of 1584, "as of Tong Castle," which is curious. The erection of the Shottesbrook Chantry by Sir Fulke's first wife Margaret (Trussel), was not unlikely the cause of Elizabeth's equal zeal at Tong ; and the marriage of her daughter to the Lord of Tong, her husband's nephew, the Speaker (whose influence with the king is marked by the bestowal of the revenues of Lapley upon the College), enabled her to overcome the apparent difficulties in the way of placing upon a permanent footing her College scheme. It seems natural that Sir Fulke's sister, who probably survived her husband, should have had Tong Castle, but I suppose her alliance with the rebel would put her outside the pale of royal sympathy.
Sir K. Vernon — Tomb, No. 13. 39
The learned antiquary, the Hon. Canon Biidgeman, having
found my supposition confirmed in Inq. P.M., I append his
letter dated 20 May, 1892 : —
The Hall, Wigan.
20 May, 1892.
Dear Mr. Griffiths, -I told you some time ago that I had come across the inquisition giving the exact connection between Sir Fulke Pembruge of Tong and Sir Richard Vernon.
I do not know that it will be any news to you, but I had lost sight of it and have now xound it again.
You know that the last Sir Fulk de Pembruge married two wives. His first wife was the daughter and heiress of Sir William Trussell of CubJesdon and Sheriff Hales, and widow of Nicholas de Whyston, Lord of one-fifth of the Manor of Weston-under-Lizard as being the son of Elizabeth de Weston, afterwards wife of Sir Adam do Peshale. This Margaret died in 1402. You know much more about Elizabeth, the 2nd wife and widow, than I do.
Fulk de Pembrugge died on Friday before the feast of St. Augustin, 10 Hen IV. (May 24th, 1409), and Juliana, wife of Sir Richard Vernon of Harlaston, was found to be his heir. She was then 60 years of age and more.
Sir Fulk held the Manor of Tong jointly with Isabella (same name as Elizabeth), his wife )'et surviving, with remainder to Richard de P. (Pembruge ?), son of Richard Vernon, the nephew of Fulk and Benedicta his wife, yet living, to them and the heirs of their bodies, by charter or settlement.
It would seem from this that the Manor of Tong went straight to this Richard Vernon (or Pembrugge) instead of to his mother, the rightful heir.
The reference for this information is Inq. P.M. 10 Hen. IV. no. 45. Believe me,
Yours truly,
George T. O. Bridgeman.
The tomb rests upon a sandstone plinth, and is ornamented with rich canopy work, into which are introduced figures of angels and saints alternately. The latter are of remarkable beauty, and doubtless modelled by some Italian artist ; those holding shields, being, on the other hand, of commoner design and execution. Sir Albert Woods, Garter King at Arms, adds a note that these shields are '• Not sketched in the Visitation." This is the second of the four tombs in the nave described by Mr. Petit, and of this, in pajticular, he says, " The second is decidedly florid, yet all its enrichments are of a strictly architectural description."
40 Sir R. Vernon — Tomb, No. 13.
The knight is on the left, " bis face being noble, and very peaceful, — the repose of death."
He rests his head upon a helmet with the Vernon crest thereon, viz., Upon a wreath, a boar's head* couped and tusked. The helmet and crest are placed to the north side. On the Pcmbruge tomb, the crest is to the south. At his feet is a lion. He is in plate armour, and has a large circlet on basinet of gilt laurel leaves, and probably pearls are intended. There is a gold circlet below on the forehead, and a stud near the ears to fasten the body armour to basinet. The armour on shoulders and chest is crescented. The elbow-roundlets and knee-caps are shell pattern. There is a rich circlet bclov/ the waist, from the waist to the hips are four plates, one plate beneath the circlet, and two plates below, and to the lowest plate of the armour are attached straps (4 in front) which form a kind of hinge to the tassets. This arrangement was in order that the armour protecting the thighs should not impede the free move- ment of the legs when marching. He wears besides a sword- belt and sword, the SS. collar, an honourable decoration to be seen on later Vernon effigies.
The collar of the SS., composed of links of silver gilt, with badges at the centre, containing the shamrock, rose, and thistle, was introduced by Henrj'^ IV. The earliest instance of it is believed to be upon the effigy of his Queen, who died in 1397. (See tomb in Canterbury Cathedral of Henry IV. and Queen, in the Thomas A'Becket Chapel, where the letters SS. are often repeated in the ornamentation of the tomb). The King's motto was " Soverayne," and the inference is that the letters were used as the initials of that favourite impress. The kmg seems to have made this emblem of his sovereignty an honorary mark of distinction ; we find it employed as such, by his son Henry V. at the battle of Agincourt, 1415. " He exhorted
* The only colouring left is the animal's red nose.
Sir Richard Vernon, Speaker 1427. 41
such of his train as were not noble, to demean themselves well in the fight ; he promised them letters of nobility, and to dis- tinguish them, he gave them leave to wear his collar of SS."f
" The sword in the middle ag-es was a symbol of honour, an object almost of worship ; the chosen seat and image of the sentiment of chivalry. J " On the scabbard of Sir Richard's two-handed sword, now broken, was the sacred monogram I.H.S.
In SfofJiard's Efigies those of Sir E. de Thorpe (killed 1418) and lady, in Ashwell Church, Norfolk, and of Ralph Nevill, Earl of Westmoreland, and his two wives in Staindrop Church, are very similar to these Vernon eflRgies.
Of Sir Richard Vernon's wife little is known beyond that her christian name was Benedicta. Rayner suggests that she was a native of France, but Mr. Eyton describes her as daughter of Sir John Ludlow.
Woman ! whose sculptured form at rest
By the armed knight is laid. With meek hands folded o'er a breast,
In matron robes arrayed ; What was tlui tale ?— (D gsntle mate
Of him, the bold and free, Bound unto his victorious fate,
What bard hath sung of thee ?
He wooed a bright and burning star —
Thine was the void, the gloom, The straining eye that followed far
His fast-receding plume ; The heart-sick listening while his steed
Sent echoes on the breeze ; The pang- but when did Fame take heed
Of griefs obscure as these ?
— Mrs. Hemans.
The characteristics of her effigy are : — Large head-dress of
the style called " mitred," peculiar to the time of Henry VL
(illustrated in Mrs. Halliday's work on the Porlock Effit/ies of
Lord and Lady Harrington, who died respectively 1418 and
about 1472), with the fret on each side, laurel band, band
t Slothaid. * Jiuilding Xeics, Aug. lo, 183j.
42 Vernon — Tomb No. 13.
crossing breast and fastening mantle, with enriched lozenge- shaped button on each shoulder. Long cords intertwine across the chest and hang down, with tassels at the end ; several rings are on the fingers, and the hands are folded as if in prayer. At her feef are two dogs collared.* f " These animals, so frequently found with figures on tombs, especially those representing females, are the appendages of high rank. They were indeed the lady's pet dogs." Thus Chaucer (1. 146) says—
" Ot smale houndes hadde she, that she fedde, With rested flesh, and milk, and wastel brede. But sore wept she if on of hem were dede, Or if men smote it with a yerde smert,"J
The lady wears the collar of the SS., and her head rests upon a cushion supported by angels. " The lady's face is lovely, the broad fair forehead, and the well-arched eyebrows, the straight nose, and beautifully-moulded mouth and chin ; and above all, the expression that seems to animate the features, though in stone, and to shine down to us through centuries, fills even a casual observer with admiration and a kind of awe." Somewhat resembling the lady's effigy are those of Sir Humphrey Vernon's wife at Bromsgrove, and Joan, Lady Bardolph, at Dennigton, County Suffolk. This latter lady was daughter of Thomas, Lord Bardolph, whose body was quartered, and parts set upon the gates of Shrews- bury and other towns after the insurrection under the Earl of Northumberland, 1407-8. The attire of Lady Mohun (Joan Burwaschs or de Burghersh) presents us with an example of the fret or reticulated coiffure adopted by Court Ladies of the 14th century.
There is no inscription on the tomb, but in a Gothic window, in the old Chapel forming part of Haddon Hall, is an inscrip-
• These dogs are technically called " brackets."
t Stothard. + i.e. with a stick hardly.
s
m giiMC naam m wpjii jj? hdu jm ym Jtan wiBiUBBn"
•» Hif laffnt m wm Hermm aailcs aamiglcgilfg omteliiilflrmsliSf
TOMB No. 14. SIR WILLIAM VERNON AND MARGARET HIS WIFE.
Sir W. Vernox, 1497- 43
tion asking the prayers of the reader for Richard Vernon, and Benedicta, his wife, 1427.
" Orate pro animabus Ricardi Vernon et Benedictae uioris ejus qui fecerunt Anno Dni., mccccxxvii."
By this marriage Hodnet came to the Vernons, and the East Window of the Chapel there commemorates the union.
14. FINE ALTAR-TOMB of free-stone, with slab of Pur- beck marble inlaid with brasses, to SIR WILLIAM VERNON, of Tong Castle, and MARGARET his wife. He died 1467.
This is the third of the four monuments referred to by Mr. Petit : — " The third, though it has open work canopies, depends much for its richness upon the spaces filled with minute and intricate panelling." There are several stone shields in the panelling, but the arms are defaced. The brasses with the shields form an elegant example of a " mediaeval brass." On removing modern woodwork in 1892 from the south side of this tomb it was found to be plain stonework, except one panel at the west end of that side. Solid masonry intervened between it and the pillar near. This and the east end panels are not in their proper positions, but remain as they were found, it being impossible to tell exactly how they ought to be ; perhaps antiquarians will examine them and give their opinions.
INSCRIPTION : —
^k jacent bus ^[tlliiig UernDU fHtks (J^uonbrn fHiIeg constahilartus SntjUc ftltiis et i^crrs lini Ekarbi Fernon fHilttig qui quflutim zxat (ITijcsaurarfuei Calcgfe qui quitiem tius ^ISEillms obiit faltima t)te mmsis Sunti Snno ©amtni iSinim0 cccc Ii bii ffift iflargarcta Uiat bici ffiSHilli Qlia <Bt ijtxt^itax tni Eobcrti Pgpis (St Spcrnores iHilitis que quibEin fflartjareta obiit .... bit iEensis . . . ^Inno Domini fHillimo ccccli . . . quorum ^Inimabus ^ropicittur Dcus. 3lfH(!5i^.
44 Vernon — Tomb No. 14.
translation :
Here lie Sir William Vernon Knight sometime Knight Con- stable of England son and heir of Sir Richard Vernon Knight who sometime was Treasurer of Calais which Sir William indeed died the last day of the month of June in the year of our Lord 1467 and Margaret wife of the said William daughter and heiress of Sir Robert Pype and Spernore Knight which Margaret indeed died .... day of the
month in the year of our Lord 146-, *on whose
gouls may God be merciful. Amen.
It is curious that the inscription should omit the maiden name of Dame Margaret, viz., Swinfen t ; she was daughter of William Swinfen and Jocosa his wife. He was cousin and heir of Sir Robert Pype of Pype Ridware, and Jocosa was younger daughter and co-heir of William Dureversale alias Spermore (or Spernore). Probably Margaret's father adopted his cousin's name upon his succession to the Pype inheritance. Sir Wm. Vernon and Dame Margaret were married in 1435, when they had grants of her grandfather's (Spernore's) lands. In 1445 she succeeded to her father's estates, Pype Redware, Draycot, and Seile, and the Manor of Wall.
The appellation of " Knight Constable of England " would seem to indicate the deputy of the Lord High Constable, an office next in dignity to the Lord High Steward, who was the first personage in the realm next to the King, but Sir William does not appear to have had a superior. The Con- stable's office was, however, more ancient, and at one time more important than the Lord High Steward's. In the absence of the King, the Constable commanded the army and kept the Constable Court.
* She survived her husband, and is described as his executor in 1467. The inscription is defective as to tlie day and month, and probably the ye^r was left to be filled up by other hands in the same way, but never was completed.
t The hamlet of Swinfen is near Lichfield, the parish of Pype Ridware being also in that neiehbourhond. I imagine these are the places from which the families of Swinfen and Pype emanated. Mr. E. Swynfen Parker Jervia is the present ownef of a large part of Pype Ridware.
Vernon- Tomb No. 14. 45
Constaislb: To liorse, you gall:int princes! straij^ht to horse
' To the Constable it pertaineth to have cognizance of con- tracts touching deeds of arms and of war out of the realm, and also of things which touch war within the realm, which cannot be determined nor discussed by the common law." Ralph de Mortimer was the first Constable appointed by King William I. He had the estates of Edric, the Forester, Earl of Shrewsbury, whom he took prisoner in his Castle of Wigmore. King Henry I. made the office hereditary in the family of the Earls of Gloucester ; but in Sir W. Vernon's time there appears to have been no hereditary constable. Sir William "was the last one who had a grant of the high office, it being looked upon as too important for a subject to be thus entrusted with it," says Hayner's History of Kaddon.
The brasses inlaid consisted of 26 pieces (well shewn in a print published by Wallers in 1842), viz. : —
1. Sir William, in late chain and plate armour, with sword, dagger, and spurs ; the helmet with mantling in shreds,* his crest a boar's head, and this motto : —
2. " 13£n£bictuS teUS in IJOniS SUIS." (Blessed be God for His
gifts.)
3. Dame Margaret, wearing a hood and wimple, long cape lined with ermine, hanging from the shoulders, with cords and tassels. At her feet is an elephant.
4. This motto above her head—" JJf)U fill tiabltl f&.miiXt nxjlj ' "
(Jesu, Son of David, be merciful unto us.)
5. Shield above the Knight, for Pembruge. Barry of six, or and az,
6. Shield above the lady for Dureversale.f Sa., a fesse chequy or and gu. between six escallops arg., three above, three below.
7. Shield between 5 and 6 for Pype. Az., two pipes between seven cross crosslets, or.
8. Shield in the centre, for Vernon. Arg. fretty sa.
9. Shield for Ludlow. Arg. a lion rampant ducally crowned, guleSf collared langued
• Latterly mantlings were represented as very much cut and worn, occasioned by the many cuts received about the head, and therefore the more ragged they were, the more honourable, as is the case with our " Colours."
t According to Edmondson. In Ducarell's Book this shield is put down as " Peter d* ancerlis.'
46 Vernon — Tomb No. 14.
10. Shield recording the union of Vernon and Pype. Per pale, dexter, art], fretty, xa. sinister, az. two pipes between seven cross crosslets or.
11. Shield for Camville. Az. three lions passant, or.
12. [Missing J Shield, arg. a bend engrailed gules for [Un- known.]
13. One son, and this scroll : —
14. " Spabl in tno rt ercptat mc." (I have put my trust in the Lord and He will deliver me.)
15. One son, and this scroll : —
i6- " iFJFili liet mentEUta mei." (Son of God remember me.)
17. One son.
18. One son, and
19. [Place of scroll, missing.]
20. One son, and this scroll : —
21. " 13m Icbafat aiatn mea atl te." (Lord, I have lifted up my soul to Thee.)
22. Two sons (? twins.)
23. Two daughters (? twins)
24. One daughter, and this scroll : —
25. " 3|)u fill matte pi'ctat tnisercre nobis." (Jesu Son of Mary of Thy
pity be merciful unto us). a6. [Missing.] two daughters (twins ?)
The sons are shown alike in long frocks, and wear pointed sandals ; the daughters wear large fret head-dresses and long gowns.
Near this tomb is the LECTERN (L), given by the Rev. G. C. and Mrs. Rivett-Carnac in 1890. The old lectern was an eagle carved in oak, with one leg bent in an unnatural position. The Bible upon it is inscribed thus: — " Tong Church, 1848. Presented by the Rev. R. H. Leeke."
P. Jacobean PULPIT of oak, hexagonal, exhibits some good ca»-ving. Date and inscription on the side facing the nave: — " Ex dono Dne Harries Anno Dni. 1622." The gift of Lady Harries.
15. FINE ALTAR-TOMB with stone effigies commemo- rating SIR HENRY VERNON KT., (Lord of Haddon and Tong Castle, Knight of the Bath, Governor and Treasurer to
Sir Harry Vernon, 151 5. 47
Arthur Prince of Wales), and his wife LADY ANNE fdaughter of John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury), both buried beneath the tomb. He died 1515 ; his wife in 1494.
The following is the inscription, which, with the shields and base, were until lately partly concealed by modern wood- work in the chapel : —
Pjt'c jacct rorpora ^cniin Fcrnon i^iltti's ?^uj0 crclesie Collfgtate fimtiatorfs tt Bne ^nne (ZTaltiat uiorfs suis fiUe 3a]}i& Comits Salopic qui quitim ©ns f^cnn'cus obiit xiti tiir mcnsiss 9[prilis 3nn0 bomt'ni millcsima qiunrfcntc3im0 xh" lEt tii'ctatinc 3lnua ofati't ibit tiic mens majj Sluno tint miUo cccc Iixxi iiijto quor aiam ppirirtur
Translation : — Here He the bodies of Sir Henry Vernon Knight, the founder of this Chantry Chapel, and Dame Anne Talbot his wife, daughter of John, Earl of Shrewsbury, which said Sir Henry died the 13th day of the month of April in the year of our Lord 1515, and the said Lady Anne died the 17th day of May in the year of our Lord 1494, on whose souls may God be merciful.
The tomb is placed under a wide Burgundian arcli, which opens the north side of the chapel to the south aisle.
Above the tomb on the aisle side are four elaborately carved tabernacles, but bereaved of their statues When this work was richly gilt, and images filled the niches, as no doubt was the case when the tomb was completed, the general effect must have been very striking.
Mr. Cole in 1757, speaking of these, said " There is a very neat small chapel which has a very fine tomb under a most beautiful and richly carved canopy."
A small shield in stone stands between the two central brackets, the arms being : — Quarterly of six, viz. : — ist. Pretty. (Vernon). 2nd. Two lions passant guardant. ( .) 3rd.
48 Sir Harry ViiRNOX, 151 5.
Gh. a lion rampant or within a bord'ire engrailed or. (Talbot).
4th. Barry. (Pembrugge.) 5th. Fretty, a canton
(Vernon.) 6th. az. Two pipes between nine crosslets or. rPype).
On the north side of the tomb itself are four shields bearing the following coats: — -i. Barry of six or 2ir\d az. (Pembruge.) 2. ... a lion rampant sa. within a bordure gu. (Talbot.) 3. Az., two pipes between 12 crosslets, or. (Pype.) 4. Fretty. (Vernon). And on the south side are four : — i. A lion ram- pant sa. for Ludlow. 2. Fretty for Vernon. 3 Three
lions passant for Camville. 4. Fretty impaling Qules a lion rampant, within a bordure or for Vernon and Talbot. The heads of the figures intervening, on the south side, are all broken .
Sir Henry is represented in plate armour and wears the collar of SS. At his head, black plumes surround the helmet, which is large and has narrow ventaille with little ornaments in rows above and below the aperture. The crest of helmet is a boar's head. The knight's figure is of large proportions, and resembles that of Talbot the great Earl of Shrewsbury. The basinet is discontinued and the hair is cropped at the neck. Notice the veins in black lines upon the hands. The shields on this tomb are similar in pattern to the armour hang- ing down over the thighs. The scabbard of his large SAVord is coloured red ; upon the hilt is the Vernon crest, a boar's head, which is repeated upon the guard. He also wears a dagger.
Sir Henry was Guardian (or Governor) and Treasurer to Arthur Prince of Wales, eldest son of Henry VII., who lived at Ludlow Castle and held his Court there. In 1489 Prince Arthur was created Prince of Wales, and the nominal govern- ment of Wales was vested in him. Probably Sir Henry Vernon was chief of his counsellors. The talents, acquire- ments, and character of the Prince, are reported to have been
Sir Harry Vernon, died 151 5. 49
such as reflected honour on himself and on the individual to whom he was indebted for the direction of his studies and the cultivation of his faculties.'^ He married at the early age of 16 the Princess Katharine of Arragon, and died soon after- wards (in 1502), much regretted by the nation. Sir Henry witnessed the marriage contract.
According to tradition Prince Arthur Tudor spent much of his lime with Sir Henry at Haddon, where one of the apart- ments was called the Prince's chamber. Sir Henry's seat at Tong was probably no less honoured by the Prince's presence, lying as it does a little less than half way between Ludlow and HadJon, and being within easy distance of Shrewsbury, where Prince Arthur frequently visited.
Sir Henry was one of " les nobles et vaillanis chevaliers " who gathered round the Royal standard June 6, 1487, and was M.P. for CO. Derby, 1478, and High Sheriff for Derby 1504. He passed his last days in retirement.
Sir Henry gave the " Great Bell ' to Tong, and founded the Golden Chantry Chapel (both described elsewhere), and in 1500, on the site of the old castle which had become ruinous, built the second Tong castle.
John Leland's Itinerary^ thus refers to " The Vernons " at
Tong :
" Many or almost al ly there that were famous
Syr Henry of them sins the Fundation.
, . , There was an olde Castel of Stone cauUid
daies made
the Castel Tunge Castel. It standeth half a mile from the new al of Toune on a Banke, under the wicli rinnith the Brike. Broke that cummith from Weston to Tunge.
Weston is 2 Miles of, and is in Stafordshire."
. The bit of very early carved stone now to be seen in the
• Vide Uislury of Iladdon. f Ordered by K. Henry VIII., and begun in 1538,
H
5P Vernons and Talbots— Tomb 15.
Castle yard is probably the only remnant of the " olde Castel " ot the De Belmeises, La Zouches, and Pembruges.
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Lady Anne's effigy is on the right of her husband ; she- Wears a long dress, has a necklet, a mantle, with cord and.
Vernons and Talbots — Tomb 15. 51
tassels, and tresses extandino: below the shoulders. At her feet, two small hounds hold the hem of her gown. She was daughter of the second Earl of Shrewsbury, who was a Knight of the Garter, and Lord Treasurer of Ireland durhi^:; the admin- istration of his father (Talbot, the " Great Earl "), and subse- quently Lord Treasurer of England. He fell at the battle of Northampton, 1460, fighting under the Red Rose. Lady Anne's father and grandfather are immortalised by ShaJcespeara in his Kiaj Henry VI., where the reader finds some heroic yet tender passages addressed by father and son to each other
Talbot CFirst Eirl) : Upon my b'essinp I comtnand thee e,o. John Talbot (his son) :' To fight I wii;. oat not to fly the ioe.
John : No more can I be sever'd frcn your side,
Than can yourselt yourse'.f in twain divide:
Stay, po, do what yo^ will, the Mag do 1,
For live I will not if m • fuher die. Talbot : Then here I take rnv leave of tliee.l'tair son.
Born to eclipse t'ly life this after.ioon.
Come siiie by side togetner live and die ;
And soul wita soul fro.n F-ance to heaven fly.
A Vernon is also introduced in the play, whose zeal for the White Rose faction causes him some trouble.
Of Lady Anne's brothers, one, Sir Gilbert Talbot, was High Shejiff" of Shropshire, temp. Richard HL, a staunch adherent of the Earl of Richmond at Bos worth, the right wing of whose army he commanded. For his valiant conduct he received the honour of knig-hihood and the manor of Grafton and other lands. His son was Sir John Talbot of Albrighton. Leland says of him : " Syr John Talbot that married Troutbeks Heire "dwei'eih in a goodly Logge on \ht hy Toppe of Albrighton ** parke. It '.s in the very Egge of Shropshire 3 miles from "Tu.ige "
Of Sir Henry's numerous family, three sons are commemo. rated at Tong, viz : — Monument No. 16, to Arthur, fifth and your.gest son. Monument No. 17, to Richard Vernon, Esquire, of KadJon and long, tlie eldest son. Monument No. 18, to Humphrey, third son, who married the younger daughter of
52 Vernons and Talbots — Tomb 15.
John Ludlow, Esq., and co-heiress of Sir Richard de Ludlow, Knight, and thus founded the Vernon family "of Hodnet." The second son, Thomas, married (1497) the elder grand- daughter and co-heiress of Sir Richard Ludlow, founding the Vernon family "of Stokesay." In 1509 he, as Sheriff of Shropshire, had a dispute with the burgesses of Shrewsbury, which lasted several years. A daughter Margaret seems to have been Abbess of West Mailing 151 1.* Sir John, the fourth son, founded the Vernons " of Sudbury." He was one of the King's Council in Wales, and Custos Rotulorum of Co. Derby (died at Harlaston, Co. Stafford, 1542) ; while a daughter Mary married Thomas Newport, Esq., an ancestor of the Earls of Bradford.
* See Account of White Ladies and Black Ladies.
iT9+r fentMn' p M Dm '?irtlpi loframi •t] artibiU) ajaon traintetKi tsiitibi'p'ip omit ftf uifaiiBufca¥iiy'ftT€Otoi*otf 311 port lY
Sir Arthur Vernon (see page 55).
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(2A9 eA£) eA5 2y'vf) (iAf) QA? (L/'vJO (i^vO GAD eA5 (?> <^' :^J <^: :^ ,' c-' P To GY^ GrS GY5 GYD G> o G^,^ G'/d 3^^ G^/c) GYO G"ro Gvt^ GYO G^rd >t> <T> iS*>l^V JSt> '^V AtA At> ^t'*' At> =Kt>^ »<♦> A^A ^V ^l^> ^A> ^4^ ^-f^ ^A'* ^♦^^ '^i^ ^i'^ ^i> ^1^ '^i^^ '^jv '<!> ^K
" Some part of the edifice had bten a baronial chapel, and here were affigiea of warriors Stretched upon their beds of stone."— OW Curwsity Hhop.
While quite as polite were the squires and the knights, In their helmets and hauberks and cast-iron tights.
Iriijoldtbg.
HE VERNON CHANTRY or GOLDEN CHAPEL is entered by a rich ogee door with finial, the crocket-mound spring-ing from labelled heads. This beautiful chantry, called the Golden Chapel from its once costly orna- mentation, is of the latest period of the Gothic, and was described by Walter White as an "exquisite little appendage to the south aisle, which shows what adepts the masons of the i6th century were in the art of fan-vaulting," the roof being of elaborate stone-work, once entirely gilt. From the traceried vaulting hang three graceful pendants, two termin- ating in foliage, and one in neat shields with arms. The walls were originally decorated in distemper, traces of red and brown colouring being still visible
On the east wall, in 1757, there was a crucifix in colours, and beneath it the following INSCRIPTION in Gothic letters yet visible . —
" l^rag far tijc SoIdIc of Sor "^ixk Fcrn0n ^^ttytjl^t ant( Banie 3lnne fjus Myfc irif)ocf) Sur fjcric iw tfjc gear || oEf olare 3Lari) m ccccc ifa matJE anli ffabjuligti tljas cfjapell anti cljaluntrD ant tfje saoti S>ix |i]arru II ticpartoti tljc xi'ii l3au of xlproll in tljc mxt a iofae eaut) anil of uoure Cl)aritc for tijc soil of ^I'r Srtljur || Fcrnon Ptgst gone of tfje aboiic sauti .Sir Ijcriu on in{}os sollggi iijs ijube mcrcg 3lmen.
Ij These divide the Imes.
54 Sir Arthur Verxon Priest-Warden of Tong.
There seems to be no doubt that the noble founder was familiarly known as "Sir Harry" or " Herry, " Au delay' i poem affords illustrations of the use of this word in Shropshire in the 15th century :
" On him schal fal the prophec6 That hath ben sayd of kyng Herr6."
" Fore hit is mad of kyng Herre."
16. Good half-length figure of SIR ARTHUR VERNON,
priest of Tong, in the attitude of preaching, on the west wall of the Golden Chapel ; the figure is upright and of stone, beneath a gilt canopy, and rests upon a bracket with pediment apart from the wall. " A monument as singular as it is curious." There is a book in the right hand, the fingers of left hand being raised as if to give emphasis to his reading. Beneath the crockets of the canopy are four shields of arms, viz.: — I. Barry of six (Pembruge). 2. Chequy, the squares raised and depressed alternately (? Reymes) : the revenues of the Abbey at Rheims had been conferred on Tong College by King Henry VI. by virtue of an Act passed at L,eicester, of which Sir Richard Vernon was Speaker. 3. Pretty (Vernon) impaling a lion rampant, with a bordure git,. (Talbot). 4. Fretty (Vernon).
Sir Arthur Vernon was fifth son of Sir Henry Vernon, A.M. of the University of Cambridge, and sometime Rector of Whitchurch, co. Salop. Died 15 Aug., 15 17. Buried at Tong.
Mr. Petit says, '• the features and expression are remarkably good, and there is a perceptive resemblance to his father, so probably they are faithful portraits."
The prefix Sir or Den, meaning Dean, held by priests before the Reformation chiefly. Mr. Cooper, of Stourbridge, has found his will, of which the following is the commence- ment : —
In the name of God Amen In the yere of our Lord 1515 the last day of S^tembre in the yere of King Henry VIII. the eighth I. Sir Arthur >
The Kind's Champlfa I
<yj^
/ra/n y/7 oJJ f"''>i ■
[ King' Char]g& rnakmj hi* eic»pi,jtten<^d b_yS Ptn</ereh J''<^ F Yatu J
Sir Arthur Vernon Priest-Warden of Tong. 5,5;
Vernon Prest hole of mynde and of body being in clene lyfe at the making of this my last Will and in good prosperite often tymes thinking of this- wreched lyfe seying by circute of daies and levolucion of yeres the day of deth to fall which nothing lyving may passe therefor of this helefuU mynde thus I make my testament &c [Proved at Canterbury],
Mr. Cole, writing in 1757, says : —
"Time was so pressing [the clock was striking seven, and he had to go- seven miles to Newport that evening], yet I could not resist the Temptatioa of one [monument] which lies in the very midst of this Neat Chapel, out of regard to beloved Almi Mater, and was only half concerned that I could not stay long enough to take a sketch of it, as on the Grey Marble [/.c, on the floor] was the F'igure of a Priest shorn, and in his proper Master of Arts habit as worn at that time, which was different from what it is at present,. being more like a Batchelor of Arts with large open Sleeves ; over his Head was the Cup and wafer, and at the four corners his coat of arms, viz. : at two corners single for Vernon, viz.. fretty ; and at the 2 others Vernon and five others, among which I thought I observed one of Trumpington, with two trumpets reversed, etc.* At his feet was this inscription all in brass r
' ©rate spfcialrtcr pro Sia ©ni Slrfturi Fcrnon En ^rtiliusr iHagrt ©tnt'b'sitatts (fTantifirigt'f qui ohiit ib Wiz aiigusti SI" Wn^ mcaccx'aii Cujs ^ie p'ptctctur ©cu3.'
" On tlie Floor, just at the foot of his Gravestone, and on the only step in. the Chapel, lies the Old Altar Stone [of the chapel] as part of the Pave- ment of it."
None of these were to be seen until 1892, when on removing the modern woodwork the objects so minutely described by Mr. Cole became again visible. On restoring the Chapel in i892,there was revealed the grey marble slab, 8ft. 5in. X4ft. lin.,. and Sir Arthur Vernon's brass memorial, with inscription in centre, very perfect and complete ; also four shields of arms in the corners of it, viz. : — Fretty (left-hand top corner), Fretty (right-hand bottom corner). Quarterly of Six : Vernon, Camville, Ludlow, Pembruge, Vernon, Pype. Quarterly of Six : the same. And over his head the Paten sunk in the Chalice, and 3Sh^- ^^ brass. The old altar stone, 10 inches deep, was found as part of the pavement. It has 5 Maltese crosses cut in it, viz. : one at each corner, and a larger one in
• Error for Pype.
56 Sir Arthur Vernon Priest-Warden of Tong.
the centre, 5 inches across ; also two other tiny crosses cut in, like the oylets of the Norman castles. There were indications that this altar was originally against the east wall of the chantry, so it has been fixed again there ; size, 6ft. long, aft. yin. wide.
A piscina, 14^ in. high x 14^ in. wide, in the south wall of this chantry is now seen, though shorn of the projecting mouldings which had been previously cut off; on each side of this piscina have been found Bishop's marks of consecration upon the walls, viz. : a Maltese cross within a circle 14^ inches in diameter, all in colour. A similar consecration mark is on the north wall of the Chapel, and one on the south wall near the shaft of the vaulting.
The shafts which originally continued from the fan-vaulting of the roof to the floor, had also been cut, and are now restored with greatly-improved effect. The old chantry ignoring v.'as found to be slightly raised in the south-west angle and old encaustic tiles were found, four forming a pattern, of which some similar ones were once seen at White Ladies Abbey. One set of four tiles had each a lion rampant. Another tile had a yellow shield, and two cross] ets in the lower part. Another had a Maltese cross in the lirst quarter, and a very curious eld tile removed from the chancel floor, and now fixed here, is of the Lamb. The stall end and angle-piece of the old bench to fit this raised floor was found in another part of the Church ; it has now been rcfixed. It is probable that this was the high " pew " or seat for the distinguished worshippers, including the Founder of the Chantry, Sir Harry Vernon, and possibly of his princely ward. Prince Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, first husband of Queen Katharine. The Historical Manuscripts Commission has recently discovered among the Duke of Rutland's MSS. a programme by the King's command drawn out, directing how and with what sumptuous array Sir
Richard and Margaret (Dymmok) Vernon — No 17. 57
Harry Vernon and others were to conduct the King's " daughter " Margaret to Scotland for her marriage. A hole, formerly an x\umbry, i5in. high and loin. wide, was found in the east wall, which contained nothing but a large fungus.
Of the roof of the Chapel, the following notes occur : —
Spaces between fans have circles, to which are attached pendants by ribs of the same moulding with those of the second order in the fans themselves.
Central fan on north side, instead of being supported by shaft (which would have interfered with the Vernon tomb), springs also from a pendant, which is enriched with mouldings and foliage.
H Over the door into the Chapel is a tablet of white marble, surmounted by an urn and bearing a brass plate with the following inscription :—
Near this Place Is Interred the Body of
Daniel Higgs Gent : Steward to his Grace of
KINGSTON Who departed this Life Oct. I. 1758 In the 60th Year of his age
Few so Honest None more so.
H And on the south-west pillar of the tower is a tablet —
Near this place lieth the body of Maria Higgs, Daughter of Danl. and Mary Higgs of Tong Castle who departed this life the 9th of May 1748 Aged 19 Months & Ten days.
17. Alabaster ALTAR-TOMB of elegant workmanship with recumbent effigiesof RICHARD VERNON, ESQUIRE, and MARGARET, his wife. Mr. Petit, in speaking of the traceried panelling of the Altar which belonged to this very richly-sculptured tomb, says " The front and sides are elaborately worked with open arches, pinnacles, and crocketed canopies with several figures. The round and elliptical arch are freely used, and other marks show it to be of the latest period. The following is the inscription ; —
58 Richard and Margaret (Dymmok) Vernon — No. 17.
p?ic jarent corpora 3rvtcnvlii Fcrnon be fL^atition 2l-:mtgr-t et iiHav^nrctc xiroris filt'c Ixobcrti Dgmmok fflf.itis qui Ijabumint Eiituiu (!9c0"gium Fc-non '^iii quiticin lAifarlius obiit in Ftgilia ^ssuinptanis sanrtc fHartc Ftrgmis %\na tmi iW.lzQima qo tcctma gcpttmo E (St liirta ifla.-garcta obii't .... tie mmsis . . . . Snno tini iBillcstnia qui'ngcntcstmo . . . Quorum, ^nimabus omnipotens pvopicirtu; lies. ^mcn.
TRANSLATION.
Here lie the bodies of Richard Vernon of Haddon, Esquire, and Margaret his wife, daughter of Sir Robert Dymmok, Knight, who had issue George Vernon. Richard indeed died on the * Vigil of the Assumption of Saint Mary the Virgin, in the year of our Lord, 1517, and the said Margaret died
day of the month .... in the year of our Lord 15 — ,on
whose souls may God Almighty be merciful. Amen.
The pannelling on the north side and two ends of this monument were used for many years to form the altar (No. 25), but were restored to this tomb in 1892. The vault under this tomb is now filled up with concrete. It is arched with stone, and appears to have held two coffins only, probably wooden ones which had perished.
The effigies are somewhat small but finely executed.
The male one is in plate armour and wears the gilt collar of the SS. His helmet (like Sir Harry's), has the Vernon crest, a boar's head (lying to the south), with mantlet and armour very similar to Sir Harry's ; an ornamented sword-hilt, dagger, and gauntlets lying at the side ; his feet rest against the double tail of a lion.
He appears to have died while yet young, soon after his father, so probably was not knighted {vide the inscription) ; we may imagine him, while we stand by this tomb, a candidate for knighthood passing the " Vigil of Arms " (pictured in Mrs. Hemans' poem), the consummation of which honour was subsequently hindered by some adverse fate.
«Aug. g. 14 Hen. VIII.
Vernon Tomb, No. 17. 59
A sounding step was heard b^- night
In a church vvliere the mi;jbt ■ slept, As a mail-clad youth, till morning's light,
Midst the tombs liis vigils kept.
He walked in dreams of power and fame,
He lifted a proud bris;ht eve, For tht; hours were few that withheld his name
From the roll of chivalry.
The candidate for kni,;^hthood was under the necessity of keeping watch the night before his inauguration, in a church, and completely armed. This was called the " Vigil of Arms."
His son and successor was then nine years old, viz , Sir George Vernon/'' whose tomb is at Bakewell Church.
His lady on the right has a hood pointed over the forehead and hanging down over the shoulders in short strips. Angels (now headless), support her pillow, and two small hounds at the feet hold her dress in their mouths. There is a circlet at the waist with leaf pattern, and hanging obliquely.
The south side only has shields of arms, and they are.: — I. Gu. a fesse dauncettee or, between 6 crosslets. 2. Arg. fretty sa. (Vernon). 3. Az. two pipes or, between 6 cross crosslets (Pype). 4. Arg. fretty sa. (Vernc^nj.
Sir Robert Dymmok was king's '' champion " at the coro- nations of Richard HI. (1483), Henry VU., and Henry VHI., an office of great antiquity, derived from the celebrated house of Maimion with the feudal manor of Scrivelsby, co. Lincoln, to which the championship is attached. He was a military man, and one of the principal commanders at the siege of Tournay, where, after the surrender of the city, he wjs con- stituted king's treasurer. The "championship" has been held by the Dymmok family upwards of 400 years.
The Champion claims on Coronation Day one of the king's great coursers with a saddle, harness, and trappings of cloth of g-'Id, and one of the best suits of armour with cases of cloth of gold, and all such other things apper-
* In the side aisle there [Bakewell Church] is a table monument with eflifjies of a knight, and a ladv on each side, and this inscription . " Here i eth Sir George Vernon,
dece ised the . . . . . da . of and D une Margaret his wyffe, ilouKhter
tobir G Ibert Ta\lebois, decc;ised the .... du of ij, iind also Uatne
Mawde his wyffedoughtcr to Sir Ralph Langcfofot, deceased the . . . . duy.of . . . waose souis God pardon." AntiquaHan Hepertory.
6o Thb King's Champion — Dymmok.
taininp to the sovereign's body, as the sovereign ought to have if personally going into mortal battle.
On Coronation Day, he, mounted on the said courser, trapped and furnished as aforesaid, and accompanied by the Constable and Marshal of England, &c., a trumpet sounding before him, rides into the banqueting hall where the king sits at dinner, and in his presence and the presence of all the people, the herald makes three proclamations to the effect that if any do deny that the sovereign is the rightful heir to the crown, here is his Champiun ready by his body to assert and maintain that he lyes like a false traitor, and ia that quarrel to adventure his life. Thereupon the champion throws down his gauntlet as a challenge, and if none pick it up accepting the challenge, the sovereign drinks to his champion in a gold cup with a cover, which cup the champion has also as a fee for his services.
At Henry IV's coronation. Sir — Dymoke expected an adversary. When dinner was half over, he entered the hall armed, mounted on a handsome steed, richly barded with crimson housings. He was armed for wager of battle^ and was preceded by another knight bearing his lance ; he himself had his drawn sword in one hand, and his naked dagger by his side.
The canting motto, " Pro Rege Dimico " (I fight for the king), is singularly appropriate to the office of this family.
The scene depicted in Sir. W. Scott's poem, " Marmion," of the approach and entry of Lord Marmion, the Champion, into Norham Castle, may well be imagined as happening at Tong Castle. Sir Kobert Dymmok was Champion at the time in which the story is placed, and his daughter, Margaret Vernon, was the Lady of Tong Castle.
The lines so vividly describe the mode of procedure from place to place of a great knight, his retinue, his steed, and habiliments, as well as the occupants of a castle, at the date to which these Vernon monuments refer us, that a rather long quotation may be given.
The sun was setting on the castle when
The battled towers, the donjon keep. The scouts had parted on their search, The loophole grates where captives weed. The castle gates were barred ;
1 lit liam ing walls that round it sweep, Above the gloomy portal arch,
In }c:llow lustre shone. Timing his footsteps to a march. The warriois on the turrets high. The warder kept his ^uard ;
Moving athwart the evening sky, Low humming, as he paced along
Seemed forms of giaut height. bome aucieut Border gathering song.
The King's Champion.
A distant trampling sound he hears ; He looks abroad, and snon appears O'er Horncliffe Hill a plump of spears,
Beneath a pennon gay ; A horseman, darting fro a the crowd, Like lightning from a summer cloud, Spurs on his n'ettled courser proud,
Before the dark array. Beneath the sable palisade That closed the castle barricade,
His bugle-horn he blew ; The warder hastened from the wall, And warned the captain in the hall.
For well the blast he knew ; And joyfully that knight did call. To sewer, squire, and seneschal.
Then to the castle's lower ward
Sped forty yeoman tall. The iron-studded gates unbarred, Raised the portcullis' ponderous guard, The lofty palisade unsparred.
And let the drawbridge fall.
Along the bridge Lord Marmion rode. Proudly his red-roan charger trode, His helm hung at the saddlebow ; Well by his visage you might know He was a stalworth knight, and keen, And had in many a battle been ; The scar on his brown cheek revealed A token true of Bosworth field ; [limb, His square-turnedjoints.and strength of Showed him no carpet knight so trim, But in close fight a champion grim. In camps a leader sage.
Well was he armed from head to heel.
In mail and plate of Milan steel ;
But his strong helm, of mighty cost,
Was all with burnished gold embossed ;
Amid the plumage of the crest,
A falcon hovered on her nest.
With wings outspread, and forward breast :
E'en suf h a falron, on his shield,
Soared sable in an azure field :
The golden legend bore aright,
©bo checks at mc, to bcut^ is big^t.
Behind him rode two gallant squires, Of noble name and knightly sires : They burned the gilded spurs to claim ; For well could each a war-horse tame.
Four men-at-arms came at their backs,
With halbert, bill, and battle-axe :
They bore Lord Marmion's lance so strong,
And led his sumpter mules along,
And ambling paltry, whrn at need
Him listed ease his battle steed.
The last and trustiest of the four,
On high his forky pennon bore.
Last, twenty yeoman, two and two, In hosen black, and jerkins blue. With falcons broidered on each breast, Attended on their lord's behest : Each, chosen for an archer good, Knew hunting-craft by lake or wood ; Each one a six-foot bow could bend. And far a clothyard shaft could send ; Each held a boar-spear tough and strong, And at their belts their quivers rung ; Their dusty palfreys, and array, Showed they had inarched a weary way.
Sir Edward Dymoke (brother of Dame Margaret Vernon) officiated as Champion at the Coronations of Edward VI., Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth. At the latter, he " came riding into the hall as she sat at dinner in ' faire complete armour,' mounted on a beautiful courser, richly trapped in cloth of gold, and cast down his gauntlet, offering to fight with any one that should deny her to be the lawful Queen of the realm."
ORGAN.
The ORGAN is a modern one, purchased in 1877, with funds the proceeds of some concerts kindly given by Mrs, Hartley and her family at Tong Castle, and voluntary con- tributions. It was built by J. H. Walker & Sons, of London.
The following accounts of the ANCIENT ORGAN, as seen at the end of the last century, will be read with interest : —
62 Organ.
In 1763 : — '• In a sort of Vestry close to the Chancel among Cher old Lumber, is the very same old Organ-case and Bellows belonging to it which was in use before the dissolution of the Cjllege, a piece of antiquity hardly to be parallelled in the whole Kingdom. The Organ was small, but the case of Oak is \^Ty neat, and of a pretty Gothic Fashion."
** In the Parish Church of Tong (once collegiate), the gallery, with the entrance to the choir, is yet unremoved, and the organ case remains, with little more room than was sufficient for the player. This organ, to judge by what is left of it, seems the most ancient of the sort that has come under my observation, which for the entertainment of your musico- mechanical readers, I will describe. And first the case. It is in the true Gothic, with pinnacles and finials after the manner of ancient tabernacles, and very like the one just finished and erected in Lichfield Cathedral, only on a smaller scale. Now, as to the other parts. The keys are gone, but the sounding board remains, and is pierced for one set of pipes only, seem- ingly an open diapason, whether of metal or wood could not be determined, there not being a single pipe left ; from the apparent position and distance I presume they were of metal. I perceived no registers or slides for other stops, and observed the compass to be very short — only to A in alto for the treble part, and short octaves in the lower bass ; therefore, not more than forty tones on the whole. The bellows were preserved in a lumber-room near the vestry, double winded without folds, and made with thick hides, like unto a smith's or forge bellows. Thus simply constructed there could be no transmutation of sounding pipes, nor that variation to be produced from a mixture of different flute and reed pipes, which are made use of in the modern organ. An instrumental machine, whose im- provement has been the work of more than one century ; at first very plain and uncompounded, like the generality of mechanical inventions. And this remark will serve to establish^
Vernon of Hodnet and Alice (Ludlow) 1513. 63
in some measure, the antiquity of the Tong Organ." — Quoted from Gentleimti's Zlagazine, 1789, — from Shreds and Patches, Shrewshury Journal, Nov. 28th, 1883.
18. Pass behind the organ to a fine TOMB of stone with an INCISED SLAB of alabaster. A soldier (on the right) and his lady (on tha left) are represented in black lines inlaid, well defined, except the heads. At the east end of the tomb are the following words in English : —
. . tiao of ^luijust Kii tf)c grrc of oiirc ILortt m ccccc xxi
At the man's feet is a dog with collar and link, short ears, and long tail. At the side of the lady's head is a wingless creature, not a griffin, as has been suggested, but a lion ram- pant (for Ludlow).
This coat, with the entrj' and date of decease given below, is doubtless sufficient to warrant the appropriation of the tomb to HUMPHREY VERNON, of Hodnet, and of Hounds- hill, 2nd son of Sir Harry Vernon (No. 15) and his wife ALICE, younger daughter and co-heir of John LUDLOW, Esq.
He died August, 1542 or 1545/' and was buried with his fore- fathers at Tong. His funeral is the subject of a curious entry in the Hodnet Churchwardens' accounts for the year 1542 : —
Item.— 'Rec. at ye burryall of ye Ri^ht worshypfuU Hon. frye Vernon being burryed at Tong, Lyghtes II.
Alice his wife died 28th August, 1531.* The part of the inscription, as above, is much crowded ; the last x is at the corner of the tomb, and it is possible that the final figure i may have been worn off, or perhaps never was put on. Alice was daughter of John Ludlow, and granddaughter of Sir Richard Ludlow, Kt., who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Richard Grey, Lord Powys.
Humphrey left two sons, George, of Hodnet, and Thomas, of Houndshill. His great-grandson, Edward Vernon, of Hounds-
* History qf Haddon BoUl.
64 Stanley Tomb No. 19.
hill, married his brother John's great-j;randdaughter and heiress, and thus the Houndshill and Sudbury inheritances of the Vernons became united in the persons of Edward and Margaret Vernon. Their son Henry was an ancestor of the present Lord Vernon. -f-
J9. Return to the south transept, where is now the STANLEY TOMB, a fine monument in the Italian style, surpassed by few in Westminster Abbey.
It bears three effigies in very good preservation. Two in the upper or table part, — which is supported by eight pillars of marble — commemorate MARGARET, daughter and co-heir of Sir George VERNON, and her husband, SIR THOMAS STANLEY, second son of Edward, third Earl of Derby, and one in the lower part, beneath the table, SIR EDWARD STANLEY, Knight of the Bath, their son, Lord of Harlaston, and of Tong Castle, and of Eynsham. Dame Margaret's effigy is on the right, and her husband's on the left. The coffin containing Sir Thomas Stanley's remains is in the Stanley vault beneath the chancel, and records the date of his death in 1576. This vault, now filled up with concrete, was found near the altar during the restoration of the Church in 1892, and contained three old-shaped lead coffins, and a small lead box, some of which had been cut open and rifled long years ago. One has an inscription plate of lead, about 8 inches by 7, with the following small quarter-inch letters cut in : —
htc j a get thomas stanl miles filvs secvndvs edovadi comitvs darbi mariivs margarete filie et vne heretvm georgii vernon milites qvi obiit vicessimo primo die decembri anno regni reg/ne elizabeth qvingentessimo septvagessimo serto anime misereatvr devs amen per me joa:n ne m lath o m vm .
1 1 am indebted to Mr. Vaughan for conecting the statement in the first edition to the elfect th a the Hoanet and Stokesay inheritances became united in the person of llenry Vernon, vrhich was not so.
Thomas Stanley and Margaret (Vernon) No. 19. 65
The following is a translation : — " Here lies Sir Thomas Stanley, Knight, second son of Edward, Earl of Derby, husband of Margaret, daughter and co-heir of George Vernon, Knight, who died on the 21st December, in the 19th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, a.d., 1576. God have mercy on his soul. Amen. By me, John Lathom."
Sir Edward Stanley was called by the Puritans an " arrant and dangerous Papist," and died in 1632. He sold Tong to Sir Thomas Harries in 1623.
The tomb formerly occupied a position at the north side of the altar. '* A monstrous large canopy tomb stands jostling the altar, and before it, placed there, as I should guess, in the indecent reign of Queen Elizabeth," Mr. Cole says, 1757. It was removed, as I am informed, by Mr. Durant, a late owner of Tong, to make room for the Durant monuments. The late Mr. Street contemplated restoring it to its original position, as described in the Gentleynans Magazine, 1763 ; but this was impossible, and Mr. Christian wisely contented himself with advising its retention on the present site, simply repairing and re-erecting it parallel with and adjacent to the other tombs of the Vernon family.
Sir Thomas is in heavy plate armour, richly ornamented. Both hands are on his breast. His helmet plumes are ostrich feathers. All the effigies recline upon quilted straw-like beds of stone.
Dame Margaret is in black ; her head rests upon an embroidered pillow ; the features are delicately cut ; the hair is brushed back off the forehead ; she wears a cap with gold circlet, and a muslin gorget, and narrow Elizabethan collar.
Sir Edward is in plate armour, with right hand on his breast, the left on his sword hilt. J
66 Stanley Tomb, No. 19.
The square tapering columns of black marble are now placed upon the tomb ; formerly they were apart from it, and each was surmounted by a white marble figure. The figures are all damaged, and are lying loose about the tomb.
On the arches which carry the upper structure of the tomb and around the sides are the numerous shields of arms quartered by the Stanleys and Vernons.
The eight square alabaster columns supporting the table are carved with elegant narrow ribbon decoration, into which are introduced little centres of compasses, spears, quivers^ books, censers, torches, drums, lances, body-armour, helmets, some erect and some inverted. Similar emblems and ribbon decoration were to be seen on the arch of the Goldsmiths, erected by the Emperor Severus. The 32 panels which form the ceiling of the table have been enriched with rosettes or roses, but all are missing. The 8 circular columns, which stand beside each square pillar, are of rich marble, four being black, and four, the centre ones, red.
The present state of the tomb scarcely comes up to the term ** magnificent " applied to it by more than one writer, but let us bear in mind that it is now shorn of much that formerly lent elegance to it. The original colouring of the figures repre- senting the deceased as they lived (of which the black hair of Sir Edward is an example), the polished marbles and gilding, the shields of arms, and other embellishments, with the tall columns bearing angels — the whole surmounted by a rich canopy — would give an incomparably different effect from that presented at the present time, though it still exhibits much rich work.
The shields of arms upon the tomb appear to be as follow but the colours are very indistinct ; —
Stanley Tomb, No. 19. 67
1. Sable on a bend azure, three stags' heads cabossed or [Stanley].
2. Stanley 1 impaling a fret sable [Vernon] .
3. Or, a cross engrailed sable [ ].
4. Azure, a fret «a6Ze, a canton gules [Vernon].
5 a fesse chequy or and az, between 3 escallop shells [ ].
6. Gone.
7. Gules, three legs conjoined in armour proper, garnished and spurred or [Isle of Man].
8. Azure, three lions passant sable [Ludlow].
9. like I.
10. Sable, a lion rampant guardant gules, collared or [ ].
11. Cheeky azure and or [Warren ?].
12. Azure a saltier yules, on a chiei gules, 3 escallops tfr [ ].
13. Barry of six or and azure [Pembruge].
14. Argent a lion rampant sable langued gules [Ludlow].
15. Or, on a chief dancettee azure, 3 bezants [Latham].
16. Azure, two pipes between 7 crosslets or [Pype].
17. Azure, a fret A-aftZe [Vernon].
18. Gules, a canton sinister and base azure [ ].
19. Gules, two lions passant in pale, or [Strange].
20. Gules, a cinqueioil or. within 6 cross crosslets or [Umfreville ?].
A. Stanley, impaling or a. lion rampant [ J .
C. Or a lion rampant sable langued gules (?) [ ].
B. Or a lion rampant sable langued guleii [ ].
D. Stanley (?)
E. Ditto (?)
F. Vernon (?)
On the north side of the monument is this INSCRIPTION in gilt lettering (not cut in) : —
THOMAS STANDLEY SECOND SOONE OF EDWARD EARL OF DERBIE LORD STANLEY AND STRANGE DESENDED FROM THE FAMILIE OF THE STANLEYS MARRIED MARGARET VERNON ONE OF THE DAVGHTERS AND COHAIRS OF SH< GEORGE VERNON OF NETHER HADDON IN THE CO\NTlE OF DERBIE KNIGHTE
BY WHOM HE HAD ISSVE TWO SOONS HENRI AND EDW : HENRY DIED AN INFANT Sc E SVRVIVED TO WHOM THOS LORDSHIPES DESENDED AND MARRIED THE LA. LVCIE PERCIE SECOND DAVGHTER TO THOMAS EARL OF NORTHVMBELAND BY HER HE HAD ISSVE 7 DAVGHTERS AND ONE SOONE SHEE AND HER 4 DAVGHTERS 18 ARABELLA 16 MARIE 15 ALIS AND 13 FKISCILLA
68 Shakespearian Inscription, Tomb 19.
are interred vnder a monniment in ye chvrche of waltham in ye covntie of essex. thomas his soone died in his infancie and is bvried in ye parishe chvrche of winwicke in ye covntie of lanca: ye other three petronella francis and venesie are yet livinge.
At the head of the tomb on west end are these " following verses made by William Shakespeare, the late famous tragedian," says Sir Wm. Dugdale.
ASK WHO LYES HEARE BVT DO NOT WEEP;
HE IS NOT DEAD, HE DOOTH BVT SLEEP.
THIS STONY REGISTER IS FOR HIS BONES
HIS FAME IS MORE PERPETVALL THEN THEISE STONES;
AND HIS OWN GOODNESS WT HIMSELF BEING GON
SHALL LYVE WHEN EARTHLIE MONVMENT IS NONE.
And at the foot of the tomb {i.e., the east end now) these interesting and oft-quoted lines ; —
NOT MONVMENTALL STONE PRESERVES OVR FAME
NOR SKY ASPYRING PIRAMIDS OVR NAME
THE MEMORY OF HIM FOR WHOM THIS STANDS
SHALL OVTLYVE MARBL AND DEFACERS' HANDS
WHEN ALL TO TYME'S CONSVMPTION SHALL BE GEAVEN
STANDLY FOR WHOM THIS STANDS SHALL STAND IN HEAVEN.
Underneath was the following line not now to be seen : —
Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur. (Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord)
Mr. Eyton, in his Antig^uities of Shropshire, writes : — •' Sir William Dugdale says positively that this epitaph, * Not monumental stone,' &c., was written by Shakespeare," and that " the opposite or east end {i.e., the foot) of the tomb exhibits six lines which I cannot help thinking to have been in imitation of them by an inferior poet. Possibly they are in praise of Sir Edward, son of Sir Tliomas, for they speak of one who ' lyes here.' Now Sir Thomas is said to have been buried at Walthamstow." This is an erroneous conclusion : Sir Thomas is buried at Tong, and he and his wife lie in the same vault. It has been remarked that if Shakespeare wrote the epitaph at the date upon the tomb^ — (I see no date upon the tomb now) — he could only have been 12 years old, but possibly this tomb, like many others, was not erected for
Stanley Tomb — Shakespearian Inscription^ 69
many years after Sir Thomas's decease, and probably not until some time after Sir Edward's decease. May not its beauty of design suggest the artistic taste of Sir Kenelm Digby, Sir Edward's son-in-law ?
Sir Edward Stanley was father of the famous beauty Venetia Lady Digby, about whom Johnson wrote a long poem. Her name is mentioned as " yet living " on the Stanley tomb at Tong.
The date of the tomb, and so probably of the inscription also, can be readily traced to a very definite period thus : Venetia Digby was born 1600 and died in 1633, therefore the inscription was put on between those dates. Sir Edward Stanley died, I believe, in 1632. ^
I have before suggested that this handsome monument was probably due to the refined taste of the husband of Venetia, Sir Kenelm Digby, the "Ornament of England," as he was called. It would seem, therefore, that in attributing the epitaph to Shakespeare's early youth, 12 years, as one writer has done, he may have been guided by its similarity to his sonnets, which, though written in early youth, were not pub. lished till 1603 when he was 39, two of which are given below. I think the doubtful inference has arisen through adopting as its date the time of the death of Sir Thos. Stanley (1576). Shakespeare was born in 1564, and died in 1616. In i6i6 Venetia would be a young girl of 16 ; hence the words " yet living " in the inscription. Shakespeare would then be 52.
There are other lines in Shakespeare's sonnets and else- where so similar to these lines attributed to him at Tong, that they, and Sir William Dugdale's record that he wrote them, appear to be conclusive. I choose out these two : —
Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme: But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stone besmear'd with sluttish time.
yo Stanley Tomb, No. ig.
When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
And broils root out the work of masonry, Nor Mars his sword nor war's quick hre shall burn
The liviug record of your memory.
My love looks fresh, and Death to me subscribes. Since, spite of him, I'll live in this poor rhyme,
While he insults o'er dull and speechless tribes, And thou in this shalt find thy monument When tyrant's crests and tombs of brass are spent.
As " England's Queen and most chivalrous nobles were his friends," it seems to me most natural that the monument at Tong, which commemorates together the following illustrious names, should bear lines written by the great poet of the time — Margaret Vernon (daughter of the Vernon King of the Peak), Sir Thomas Stanley, son of Earl of Derby, Sir Edward Stanley, K.IL, his son. Lady Lucy Percy (daughter of Duke of Northumberland), and Venetia Digby, the beautiful.
I have no doubt the inscription in the 3 compartments, now on the north side, was at first on the south side. The tomb stood in the Chancel on the north side of the altar, and hence the inscription would be only readable if on the south side of the tomb. It seems, therefore, that the table part of the tomb has been twisted completely round. The verse " Ask," &c., originally at the foot of the tomb, and at the east end, is now at the head and west end ; and the verse " not monu- mental," &c., formerly at the head, is now at the foot.
The late Dean Stanley's letter to Mr. Lawrence, regarding the Stanley Tomb, is appended : —
Sept. 8, 1873. Address Anderfield Dren N.B.
Dear Sir, — I am much obliged for your kind trouble in regard to the Stanley Monument in your Church. I presume that there is no date on the monument to indicate that it may have been a later epoch than the date of the death of its owner, and so escape the necessity ot adopting the impossible youth of Shakespeare, if there were other sufficient points for supposing him to be the author. When in the Church I only read hastily that part of the inscription which is at the west end of the tomb ; and»
Margaret and Dorothy Vf.rhoj^. 71
nnless I am mistaken, the name was written Standly in tlie last line, and this made the basis of the play on the words. Is this so ?
Yours faithfully,
A. P. STANLEY.
Margaret Vernon by her marriage conveyed Tong Castle ta her husband ; and her sister Dorothy (who eloped on the night of her sister's wedding, from Haddon Hall, the home of the Vernons, with Sir John Manners) conveyed that grand old pile to her husband. The walk by which the young lady fled the mansion is still pointed out as " Dorothy Vernon's, walk."
All Haddon is fragrant with the memory of one fair woman Dorothy Vernon. Her postern, her walk, her rooms, her terrace, her beauty beautifies the whole place ; the charm and romance of the fair heiress linger yet round every part of Haddon. She was daughter of Sir Geo. Vernon, King of the Peak, died 1565, the year that Mary Queen of Scots married the ill-fated Lord Darnley. Dorothy loved one whom her father did not approve, and she determined to elope. And now we must fill in fancy the long gallery of Haddon Hall with the splendour of a revel, and the stately- joy of a great ball in the time of Queen Elizabeth, In the midst of mirth and excitement, while " noble lords and stately dames step in the courtly dance," the fair young daughter of the house steals unobserved away. She isues from her door, and her light feet fly with tremulous speed along the darkling terrace, till they reach a postern gate in the wall, which opens. Someone is waiting eagerly for her, with swift horses, — young Sir John Manners, second son of the House of Rutland. The lovers mount and ride rapidly away, and so Dorothy Vernon transfers Haddon to the owner of Belvoir, and the boar's head of the Vernons becomes mingled with the peacock of the Manners of Belvoir.
Sir John was second son of Thomas 13th Lord Ros and Earl of Rutland, and was great-grandfather to the first Duke
The Hon. (Sir) Thomas Stanley was a Knight, of Win- wick, and probably Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Man, 1562. The family of Stanley, — an old branch of the Barons Audley, of Audley, co, Stafford, in the time of King John, — is one, the conduct of whose valiant sons has contributed largely to the glorious annals of England. One Sir John Stanley was a K. G. , and in 1406 had licence to fortify his new house at Liverpool (Knovvsley) with embattled walls, and a grant of the
72 Stanley Family.
Isle, castle and pile of Man, with all the isles adjacent, on pay- ment of two falcons to the King on Coronation Day. It was Sir Thomas Stanley's great-great-grandfather who was created Earl of Derby in consideration for his services in the victory of Bosworth, 1483 ; and his placing the crown of Richard III. upon the head of the victorious Richmond (Henry VII) in the field, is a matter of historic record. His great-grandfather George, married Jane, daughter and heir of John, Lord Strange of Knockyn. His father, Edward, 3rd Earl of Derby, K.G., bore the additional titles of Viscount Kynton, Lord Stanley and Strange, Lord of Knockyn, Mohun, Basset, Burnal, and Lacy, and Lord of Man and the Isles. This Earl on the birth of Sir Thomas Stanley's son, Edward, 1562, made a Deed of Settlement declaring that his several manors and lands in the counties of Warwick, Devon, and Oxford, also Dunham Massey, Bowden, Rungey Hale, ^ton, and Darfield in Co. Chester, shall appertain and belong to Sir Thomas Stanley for life, with remainder as moiety to his wife Lady Margaret for life, with remainder to Sir Edward for life, wiuh remainder to the Earl's first son, with remainder to the heirs male of Sir Thomas, with remainders to the heirs of Sir Edward. Sir Edward became possessed of all the said lands on his father's death, as well as the Castle of Hornby.
Lady Lucy Percy, his wife, was daughter of Thomas Percy, who was created by Queen Mary, Earl of Northumberland, but conspiring later against Queen Elizabeth, was beheaded at York, 1572. His father. Sir Thomas, a lineal descendant of Hotspur, and other illustrious Percies, was also executed for conspiracy in Henry VIII's reign.
Of Sir Edward Stanley's numerous family only two daughters grew up, viz. : — Frances, married to John Fortescue, Esq., of Salden, Berks, and Venetia, the renowned beauty, married to Sir Kenelm Digby, Knight, the philosopher.
Pillar of Mary — Choir Screen. 73
20. Here was formerly an octagonal PEDESTAL attached to N.E. pillar of tower, supposed to have originally supported the image of Saint Bartholomew, the patron Saint of the Church, or perhaps the Virgin Mary ; it was called the " pillar of Mary." On the other hand it may have been a pulpit pedestal. Until lately the broken crest from a destroyed Vernon tomb lay upon it.
Tradition says that there once stood in the Lady Chapel (" our Lady's " Chapel) "a most beautiful sculptured image of' the Virgin, but this was destroyed by some Puritanical hands in the 16th Century ; and the pedestal on which it once stood only remains," and is now situated on the north corner under the Belfry tower, close to the foot of the Pembruge tomb, it having been removed there from the Lady Chapel, i.e., sup- posed to be on the north side of this tomb.f In 1892 this pillar was found to be a modern intrusion of brickwork, and- was removed.
CHOIR SCREEN.
21. The CHOIR SCREEN between chancel and tower- space is Transitional, of choice workmanship and design, and in very good preservation for its date. On the side facing the nave, the cornice is composed of oak leaves and acorns, and the string-course or the surbase shews the vine ; on the other side are birds, the vine, and other carving, the whole taking up and being continuous with the delicate oak tracery form- ing the upper part of the choir stalls. Only one piece of the trefoil ornament forming the cresting of the screen remained in 1884, viz., at the end near the chancel door, and that had disappeared a few years later, but fortunately by the aid of a detail in an old photograph belonging to the writer, the crest- ing has been faithfully reproduced. The reparation of the Choir Screen and Tracery is a very marked improvement, and Mr. H. Bridgman, of Lichfield, is to be congratulated
t Note by Rev. R. G. Lawrence.
74 Choir-Screen and Stalls.
upon his careful execution of the work. The two low doorS in this screen separating the nave and chancel were removed in 1892. They were not thought to harmonize with the original work. Perhaps they belonged to the woodwork which is supposed to have run across under the western Arch of Tower, forming part of the rood loft, and which would take up with the two Aisle Screens loa. and lob.
In the arch above the screen are to be seen the holes from which were removed the timbers of the rood-cross. The rood- loft gallery doubtless extended from the two east to the two west pillars of the tower-space ; access to the same was gained through the doorway (to be seen over the pulpit) from the stone staircase. Previous to the reign of Edward VI. the rood-loft, or gallery and screen supporting the rood cross, was a conspicuous object in early churches. In the gallery the deacon performed part of the public services of the Church, and at St. Julian's, Shrewsbury, a bottle of claret was placed in it for his use on Passion Sunday on account of an excep- tionally long part of the service which he read from there. Upon the gallery was fixed the holy rood, or crucifix bearing the image of Christ. To our ancestors the rood conveyed a full type of Christianity, the nave representing the Church militant, and the chancel the Church triumphant, and thus denoting tiaat they who would go from one to the other must pass under the rood, i.e., bear the Cross.
CHOIR-STALLS.
The CHOIR, though small, contains some original stalls of beautiful workmanship, the carving being well preserved considering its antiquity. They are 16 in number, four ad- joining the screen, and six on each side adjoining the north and south walls, and are of the peculiar construction implied by the name " Miserere " (Lord have mercy). The benches are of massive oak, hinged at the back, and when turned up
Choir-Stalls. 7jj
against the stall each exhibits a small half-octagon projecting
bracket, carved with floral ornaments or hideous figures, in
very fair preservation. A verger at Chester Cathedral thus
described the use of this uncomfortable bench arrangement,
the misereres there and in many old churches being of exactly
similar construction : — During the long services of the Roman
Catholic Church the monks became wearied from prolonged
standing, and these seats were constructed to give them
partial rest without permitting the comfort of an actual sitting
posture. The occupant is supposed to stand, letting the
weight of his body rest partly upon his feet and partly upon
this little bracket, and so long as he kept awake the little
bracket relieved his tired limbs and served him well ; but the
instant he passed into sleepy forgetfulness his legs ceased to
prop him up, and the increased weight thrown on the bracket
caused it immediately to topple over and nearly precipitate
the drowsy worshipper to the floor. It is difficult to describe
in words the action of this peculiar arrangement, but visitors
may examine the benches for themselves. The stalls were
numbered in Mr, Durant's time (as well as the seats in the
Church), as the following items in an old account book of
Heayse, a wheelwright of Tong, record : —
£ s. d. 1806. G. Durrant, Esq., paint and numbering the seats in the Church and
Chancel .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. o 18 6
Altering the Cottage numbers, and in the Church .. .. .. ..026
Numbering th« Cottages at Tong .. .. .. .. .. ._ o 1 6
1811. Assisting with the Commnndments in the Church and materials ..046
The numbers still upon the stalls will be convenient for reference (see plan).
Detailed notice of choir-stalls : —
Stall I. — Bracket shews an embattled pattern similar to parapet on the church. This stall-division differs from the others, which are single figures, in being a "A'inged male figure holding a smaller one. The two desk-ends in front of stalls I and 2 are the " barbarous repairs " referred to by Mr. Petit.
; 76 Choir-Stalls.
Brackets of stalls 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 15, and 16 are generally floral ornaments. Stall 4, a face with foliage springing from the mouth ; this stall must have been the seat of a Church dignitar)', for above it a trefoil panel of tracery is enriched with (i) Head of Christ ; (2) an I H S ; and (3) an angel holding a shield, which bears : a heart in the centre, a key horizontally, a spear perpendicularly, a hand in each top corner, and a foot
., in each bottom corner. Stall-bracket 5. — Winged half-length figure holding shield. Stall-bracket 8, the one upon which most pains seem to have been bestowed, has in the centre the Crucifixion scene ; on each side is an angel holding a scroll. At the foot of the cross are flowers, and on each side of the bracket a bird — perhaps intended for a dove. 9. — A face with foliage springing from each side of the mouth. 10. — A large bird, and a smaller one on either side. 11. — Foliage, a little more elaborate than the others. 12. — A winged half-length figure and shield (same as No. 5). 13. — Modern piece of moulding. The desk-end or poppy-head opposite stall 3 ex- hibits two figures, and two birds " crewdling." Opposite stall 8 the poppy-head is perhaps for the Ascension scene ; but there are twelve figures, besides the figure upon a bracket above them. Opposite stall 9, the Resurrection scene,
' Roman soldiers, one large figure sleeping, three smaller, and above them two female figures. Opposite stall 14, tvio figures, and below two faces. Opposite stalls 15 and 16, two figures, and below two angels with shields.
The elegant tracery of the woodwork above the stalls is composed chiefly of quatrefoils, and is nearly similar to that shewn in the illustration of the Choir-Screen. The numerous birds carved in this woodwork are, I suppose, emblems of watchfulness.
During the restoration in 1892 there were found two Bishop's Marks of Consecration on the walls behind the&e stalls, one on either side.
WINDOWS IN CHANCEL.
The EAST WINDOW is a fine five-light one, with pood Perpendicular tracery, and transom ; it is about 20 feet high, occupying a not exactly central position in the east wall, as before remarked. From north wall, 3ft. sins. ; from south wall, 3ft. I in. Some writers assert that during the middle ag^es the east window was intentionally placed nearer to one side-wall than the other, in order to typify the Head of the Saviour upon the Cross, which is generally shewn slightly in- clined to one side, the east window being the principal light of the chancel, the most sacred part of the Church In the tracery are some remains of old stained glass, the red and blue colours being especially rich. The following notes roughly record the composition of the glsss until its re- arrangement in 1892.
Referring to the lights by numbers (commencing on the
left) :—
Below the transom —
I.— Black and white pieces, chequy. A shield of deep red, in the centre thereof a cross, on dexter side a pair of rings, pincers (white), a hammer (white head, yellow handle) ; on sinister side, three dice (white, black spots), two spears (yellow, white heads). These are the emblems of the Passion, called by heralds the shield of arms of Jesus Christ.
2. — St, Peter and keys (yellow), rich blue foliage.
3.— Some Gothic letters, and yellow and white architecture. A female •figure in white
4. -A shield, same as in No. i, except that the scourge and a bird appear on the sinister side.
5.— Architecture corresponding very nearly with the arches of the Sedilia, and some old English letters, same as on the tomb of Sir Wm. Vernon (d. 1467).
Above the transom —
I. — Madonna and Child, white and yellow. A rich crown shewing fout leaves, yellow ; some deep rich red foliage, and some blue. 2. — Mixture of white and blue, a little red. 3. — Fragments, including a piece of a yellow crown.
4. - Fragments. Three spear-heads held by a white hand, the centre one dark brown, the other two light blue heads, brown handles.
5. — Generally white, some black and white triangles. .
78 Ancient Glass in East Window, &c.
Above these again in the tracery were —
Over centre-light (No 3). ■
Nearly perfect, left side, a male figure with scroll, Gothic letters ; right side, female figure in white, with hands uplifted, red foliage.
Above light No. i. -An angel, white hea'l, with censer, and blue foliage. Above light No 2.— A female head, with white covering. Above light No. 4 — Mixture, blue and white. Above light No. 5.— White head, yellow halo; some black and white squares, chequy.
The same glass is now arranged thus : — Below the transom —
Plain.
Fragments. 3.- Ditto.
4. — Holy face and another, probably St. Anne. • 5. - Plain. Above the transom —
1. -Angel bearing the shield with emblems of the Crucifixion.
2. -St. Peter.
3. — Virgin Mary and Child.
4.— St. Edmund King and Martyr.
5. — Similar to No. i.
In the 10 panels of tracery immediately above are : —
I, 4. 7 and 10. Emblems of the Four Evangelists.
2 and 3. (Larger). The latter is St Mary Magdalene.
5.— Unknown.
6.— The Angel Gabriel.
8.— The Virgin Mary.
g. — Probably Salome and another Holy Woman.
Of the OTHER WINDOWS in CHANCEL there are two in the north wall, each having three lights, with Perpendi- cular tracery. And in the south wall three three-lighted windows with good Perpendicular tracery, the centre one being over the priest's door.* The graceful black and white flower to be seen in little corners of the tracery of these win- dows is undoubtedly of Early Fifteenth Century date.
* Mr. Eyton records that in 1663 "the South window of chancel" contained arms as follow ; — I. - Barry ot 6 or and az iPembruge) impaling Barry of 6 or and az. on a bend gu. three roses ar<j. (Lingeni II.- Pembruge). III. -iLingen). IV. -Wu. a lion rampant, (Fitzalnn). V. -Jr./. fretty s«. (Vernon). V\.—Arg. fretty sa., a canton gn., (Vernon). VII. Az. two pipes between nine cross crosslets or (Pype). VIII.— J.', a bend arj^. cotized between six murtlets or (De la Bcre).
And " the North window of chancel "—I. — Arg. fretty gu. with a bezant on each joint of the fretty iTrussel), emp.iiiug or a lion rampant sa. (Ludlow). II.— (Ludlow) empaling (Lingen). III. —(Ludlow) empaling itr^/. fretty .««. a cinton ./m., (Vernon). IV. (Lingen). V. -(Pembrngiii. VI. — (Pembruge) empaling (Lingeni. VW.—Arg. fretty la. a canton gvu (Vernon) impaling [blanlt] VIII. — (Ut la Bere; empaling gu\a, lion rampant or:
WiLLouGHBV Monument, No. 22, 79
22. By the commuunion rail and formerly bordered with fossil marble, but now with tiles, was the black marble slab with arms and supporters thereon, to the memory of the Hon. HENRY WILLOUGHBY, youngest son of Sir Thomas, afterwards in (171 2), created Lord Middleton of Middleton, who had served in six several Parliaments during the reigns of King William and Queen Anne. Mr. Wil- loughby died in 1734 at Tong Castle, of which he was tenant- The slab, which was much worn, is now moved for protection nearer to the north wall of the choir : the arms are plainly to be seen, viz. : — Quarterly for Willoui,'hby of Parham andWil- loughby of Middleton, with supporters a grey friar and a savage, and the excellent motto " Truth without fear.^' The inscription is too indistinct to'give a verbatim copy, but below the name are some lines which have been preserved : —
His aoble soul and truly generous mind,
In acts of goodness both were unconfiiied;
His charity was free and private too,
By proper objects felt but known to few.
His hospitality the poor did share.
Relieved the widow, dried the orphan's tear;
Pride with its lures and vain attempting art.
Hateful to sight, was absent from his lieart —
A friend he was most worthy and sincere,
There did the lustre of the friend appear ;
And as his merits justly claimed a name
Inscribed in annals of immortal fame,
In his just praise to latest times be it said,
That all who living knew him, mouru'd him dead.
This vault was opened July 3, 1891, when it was found to contain only one coffin, bearing the plate of arms, with a martlet for difference, agreeing with the slab.
23. On the south wall of the chancel, immediately above the altar rails, is the mural MONUMENT partly of alabaster and partly of marble and stone, to MRS. WYLDE, with female figure in Elizabethan costume, kneeling beside a table. Length of monument, 6tt. 6in. ; width, 3ft. 3in. Inscrip, tion : —
■8o Mrs. Ann Wyi.de n^e Harries, d. 1624.
HERE LYETH THE BODY OF ANN WYLDE LATE WIFE OF JOHN WYLDE OF DROITWYTCH IN THE COVNTY OF WORCESTER ESQR ELDEST DAVGHTER OF SR THO ; HARRIES OF TONG CASTLE SERJEANT-AT-LAW AND BARONET AND DAME ELLINOR HIS WYFE WHOSE VIRTVE MODj:STIE RARE AND EXCELLENT PARTS FAR EXCEEDING HER AGE HAVE FITTED HER FOR A MORE HEAVENLY HABITATION LEAVING BEHIND HER THESE SPECTACLES OF GRIEFE AND PLEDGES OF TRVE AFFECTION SHE DIED THE 6TH OF MAY IN THE YEERE OF OVR LORD 1624, AND OF HER AGE THE 16TH BEING THEN NEWLY DELIVERED OF HER FIRST-BORNE.
There have been some verses below, which are now illegible. At the top of the monument is : —
AD TE DEUM CLAMAVi (1 have Called unto Thee, O God).
There are two shields upon the monument. One, the larger, has : — Party per pale : dexter — quarterly, first and fourth arg.
on a chief sar., 3 martlets (for ?), second and third arg.
a cross sa. (for Wylde) ; sinister — barry of 7 erm. and az., over all 3 annulets or., two and one (for Harries). On the smaller, a lady's shield, the Harries arms are repeated.
John Wylde was descended from Symon Wylde of the Forde, co. Worcester, by his wife, Ellinor, daughter and co- heir of George Wall of Droitwich.
Ann was the elder daughter and co-heiress of Sir Thomas Harries. He was an eminent lawyer, Sergeant-at-Law 1589, created a baronet 12th April 1623, and died m 1640 — the great-great-grandson of John Harries of Cruckton, Salop, 1463. Her mother was Elinor, daui^hter of Roger Gifford, of Lindon, phvsician to Qieen Elizabeth.
Sir Thomas purchased Tong Castle from Sir Edward Stanley about 1623.
Among the " prisoners taken at Salop 22nd February, 1644, were Sir John Wyld, senior. Knight, and Sir John Wyld, junior, Knight." Sergeant John Wylde was a member of the Long Parliament in the time of Oliver Cromwell, representing Worcestershire. At the same time Edmund Wylde, Esq., represented Droitwich, and was described as a King's Judge, i.e.., nominated to that office and only in part, or not at all, risking to perforin it.
Mrs. Elizabeth Pierpoint n^e Harries. 8i
Mrs. Wylde's sister, and the eventual sole heiress of Sir Thomas Harries, was Elizabeth. She married the Honourable William Pierrepoint of Thoresby, Notts, M P. for Salop, and called " William the Wise," and died in 1656. He was 2nd son of Robert Earl of Kingston, and, in right of his wife, succeeded to the Tong estate in 1640; was Member of the Long Parliament for Great Wenlock, Co. Salop, in Cromwell's time, and one of the Commissioners to treat with the King at Oxford, " being one who pressed for an Accommodation with the King ; " while his brother Francis represented Notting- ham. At the Restoration, William, as M.P. for Notts, heartily espoused the Koyal interest, and was chiefly in- strumental in getting rid of the oppressions of the Court of Wards, Reliefs, &c. He died 1679.
In Carlyle's Cromwell Letters, Vol. HI., occurs the following relating to him : — '^
Charles's standard, it would seem then, was erected at Worcester on
Friday, the 22nd August, 1651. About sunrise " our messenger " (i.f., the Parhament's) left the Lord General (Oliver Cromwell) at Mr. Pierpoint's house, — William Pierpoint of the Kingston family, much his friend, - the house called Thoresby near Mansfield, — ^just starting for Nottingham, to arrive there that night.
William's father was Robert Pierrepoint, created Baron 1627, Viscount Newark and Earl of Kingston-upon-Hi.ll, 1628 ; his mother being a daughter and co-heiress of Henry Talbot, 3rd son of Geo., Earl of Shrewsbury. At the breaking out of the Great Rebellion, Lord Pierrepoint was appointed by King Charles Lieut. -General of the Royal Forces within the counties of Lincoln, Rutland, &c. ; subsequently surprised at Gains- borough and made prisoner by Lord Willougliby of Parham, he was sent towards Hull in a pinnace (or small boat), which being pursued by Sir Charles Cavendish (who demanded the Earl and was refused) was shot at by that gentleman with a drake (a small piece of artillery) ; the Earl and his servant
" Ex Tract printed at Louddn for Edw. Husbands, Maich lo, 1644^
Sa The Earls and Dukes of Kingston,
were placed as a mark to Sir Charles's shot, and were both killed 13 July, 1643.
William and Elizabeth left several sons. The youngest, Gervase, was a considerable benefactor to Tong, and gained the title of Baron Pierrepomt of Ardglass in Ireland, and Lord Pierrepoint of Hanslope in England. (See brass No. 24 to his memory in Tong Church). The eldest, Robert, left three sons, two of whom, Robert and William, became successively Earls of Kingston-upon-Hull, and died without issue 1682 and i6ga' respectively. William's elder brother Henry, " succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Kingston, and was created Marquis o4 Dorchester 1645 ; eminent for his learning, a great reader, and well versed in the laws ; in 1658 was member of the College of Physicians in London, and became, as Anthony Wood says, their pride and glory." He left two daughters, co-heirs, of whom Anne married John, 9th Earl and xst Duke of Rutland.
Upon the death of this Marquis, the Kingston titles (except the Marquisate) and estates (including Tong Castle and Thoresby), passed to William's grandson Robert ; afterwards to his brother William, Lord of Tong i6go ; and afterwards to their brother Evelyn, created Duke of Kingston, 17115. He was father of Lady Mary Wortlcy Montague (who became so celebrated in the literary world), and grandfather of Evelyn, "^ last Duke of Kingston, who sold Tong to Mr. Durant in 1762, and died in 1773, when all his titles became extinct. In 1760 the Duke's seat was at Tong Castle.
- Lady Harries gave to Tong, about the year 1630, the beau^ tiful and costly Ciborium (see illustration), a sacramental vessel of the time of Henry VIII., said to be the work of the celebrated artist Holbein, and regarded by the highest authorities on such matters as unique. It stands 11 inches high, and is of silver gilt, richly chased, having a central
» He married the celebrated Miss Chudleigh.
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ClBORlUM AND GiFTS BY LaDY HaRRIES.
8.3
barrel of crystal 2 in. deep, 2fin. diameter outside, and 2^ inside. t It probably belonged to the ancient college of Tong,
and held the sacred wafers, but is now used to hold the consecrated wine on the high festival days of the Church. It is described among " the guifts of that pious and charitable Lady Eleanor Harries (relict of Sir Thomas)," as " a large Comunion Cup of Gould and Christall and cover."
She also gave the pulpit
and " frontal " (see No. 36) ;
besides these, "an loo;^
was given by ye vertuous
Lady for ye use of ye poore
of ye Parish for ever ; a
ciBORiUM. yewer and plate of silver ; a
cloth for ye com'un table of Diaper ; a pulpit cloth of black for
funeralls ; a black cloth for ye bier at all funeralls."
In May, 1645, Tong Castle was one of the garrisons of Salop ; and the following other notes of it, about that time, occur : —
" Urst the King had it ; then the rebels gott it ; then Prince Rupert took it (6 Apl. 1644), and put in a garrison who afterwards burnt it when he drew them out to the battle of York."
" Prince Rupert took Longford at the same time he took Tong Castle."
" Tong Castle shall be speedily released according as Col. Rugelie, Mr.
Crompton, and Mr. Stone shall see fit. Apl i6th, ordered that /20 shall
be given to the troops which is already paid to Captain Rugelie, and £z of
the rent of Captain Barnsley and Mr. Draycott in Barnhurst, shall be
t Permission was given to the South Kensington Museum for it to be photographed for the use of Schools of Art and local Museums. Tlie crystal was slightly iracturcd io 1873, but has been so skilfully restored as to bear scarcely a trace of its misfortune.
84 ToNG Castle and the Civil Wars.
allowed to commanders and officers, a gratuity only to those commanders, officers, and troops, that did so good service in the release of Tong Castle."
Old Vicars relates : — "That Captain Stone, governor of Eccleshall Castle, having intelligence that the garrison of Tongue Castle were abroad, fell upon them with a party of horse, slew many of their officers, took pris ner the Governor of the Castle, and 200 private soldiers."*
Symond's Diary gives : — " Saturday, May 17th, 1645. His Majestie marched by Tong, Salop ; a faire Church, the windows much broken,! yet divers ancient coates of armes remaine. A faire old Castle near this Church called Tong Castle, belonging to Pierpoint this 18 years : it was the ancient seat of Stanley, who came to it by marrying Vernon of the Peak at Haddon. Thence through Newport."
" Upon [the Parliament] taking Shrewsbury, the enemy quitted and burned Leahall and Tonge Castle. "J
24. In the Chancel floor is a small BRASS, about a foot square, let into the tile floor, bearing this inscription : —
THE RT. HONBLE. GERVAS, LORD PIERPOINT
BARON PIEREPONT OF HANSLOP, COUNTY BUCKS
AND BARON PIEREPONT OF ARGLAS IN THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND
DEPARTED THIS LIFE MAY THE 22D 1715 IN YE 66 YEAR OF HIS AGE.
This brass was until recently in the centre of the floor, but is now placed near the North Wall. It commemorates Gervase, Lord Pierrepoint, who gave to Tong the valuable library now in the Vestry. A lead plate on a coffin beneath, found in 1892, had this inscription, " The Right Honble. Jervos, Lord Pierpont, died May 22nd, 1715." (See No. 35, under Library). He married Lucy, daughter of Sir John Pelham of Sussex, and had one only child, Elizabeth, who pre-deceased him, and on the north wall of the chancel is a marble tablet, of which the lower part and inscription appear to be to her memory. (See No. 31).
WITHIN THE ALTAR RAILS a handsome new floor and steps have been put. The old flooring tiles have been removed, and the few which could be re-used are laid in the Vernon Chantry. Some were " chequy," corresponding with
<■ Ex ffal>>cit s Shropshire.
t U the Church was ganisonefi as an outpost to the Castle, it seems astonishing that more damage was not done. J History of Shrewsbury, p. 39.
f inQton latr of ti)c topitr iafiirs sComrf {amif anD * I5 HK of St^Souti ^Rfffinstmi tof^^ lonM taifil^tr. Sbiit /Rnri to. iss"©
21n()feitI]fnutDtii<5 apnmrf in qpiet tpmr of pear?* Bui liitini iTK^ conrfc on carKjirV t)aLi'fiillfilDf tnrlm'5eaf\iioi-I5lB itiors bii>tninrcleali' M^ to has lAinnDomettfn l]is Coulf 5i(r call jbi5 Do&pr to Suft vrturnrtPfroinlbtipncrijtcatQf tBtjirhr rayfr flQemir tif-imll'to10T3 celrftfiU liilirrr bo5pr aair fonlr DL]aU f tier prapfr Ms namr
||_^ GgOQum niKirn_
^<^'°'
Tomb no. 28.— William Skeffington, Esq.
The Skeffington Tablets. 85
fragments in the east window ; others were quatrefoils, an eagle (yellow on red), a man with sword and shield defending himself against some animal ; some Gothic letters were on two tiles, and there were other designs. Size 43-^in square- There are two old carved oak CHAIRS. The one on the south side has the letters I.H. upon it.
25. The ALTAR is of wood. It was until 1892 of alabaster, and a part of the very rich tomb to Richard Vernon, Esquire (see under the pulpit, No. 17), to which it has been restored. The new altar cloth, worked by the Sisters of St. Margaret's East Grinstead, is a handsome piece of needle- work, with designs of the Holy Lamb, and the knives of St. Bartholomew. It was exhibited at the Church Congress Ex- hibition at Folkestone.
28. The SEDILIA, in the south wall, comprise three stone stalls with depressed trefoiled heads. These seats were for the use of the Priest, Deacon, and Sub-Deacon.
27. The PISCINA, in the south wall, is a holy-water basin, carved in stone upon a half-octagon stone bracket ; there is a recess, and at each of its two inner corners is a circular shaft supporting a small shelf. This basin v/as for the purpose of receiving the water used by the priest, which sank through an opening into the rubble of the wall, and was then lost, a method to prevent the water from being applied afterwards to any sacrilegious purpose.
28 & 29. The SKEFFINGTON TABLETS to a mother and son, in the east wall of the chancel, are of Purbeck marble, each bearing plates of copper, inlaid with silver for colour. Over these tablets in the East Wall are shallow recesses, where there appear to have been panels of a date anterior to these tablets, probably having carvings worked in as part of the orierinal walling.
185 The Skeffington Tablets.
28. The one on the south side of the east window com- memorates WILLIAM SKEFFINGTON, Esq., late of the "" White Ladies."
The centre plate bears the following quaint lines : — ^cxt unXicx loctl) I'ntcrrcti tijc hoUm of ^Hilltam SkcCSngtan, late of tf)c Wii)i{c 3£aliic3 Crisqiu'rc soime ant Ijritc of &ix 3a\)n SkcfCngton sometgrnc of %mW I3,nifj!}t£. ©bt'tt ^n'o li'm 1530.
3ln rsquicr \)t toas rigfjtc f)artge to tlje ftaltie anti fat'tljfuU to 1)13 i^ronce in quiet tgme of peace 33 lit toljen ijis course on cartlje \)c l)ati fulfiltie Cfje ilortj of ^Morllilu tooes tiili fjim release ^nli to ijis kingtiome tljrn f}is soule tiiti call J^is botige to bust returned from toljeuce gt came ^ijicJ) rausc arjagne ijc tot'll to Jog ccIcstiaU 515El)ere iotige anl) soule siljall efaer pragse I)is name.
The upper plate bears his arms, viz. : — Quarterly of six pieces, ist A)y. three bulls' heads erased, sa., 2 and i (Skeffington). 2nd. Azu7'e, a bend cotised between six mullets
or (Ouldbeif). 3rd three ravens, two and one ( )
4th. ylr^., a fesse dancett^e between three crescents,
ffu., 2 and I (Doyle). 5th. Ermme, a bend az. (Inglish). 6th. Ermine, on a chief indented ^m., three escallops o> (Child) In the fesse point a crescent for difference. Crest, upon a wreath, a mermaid proper, with comb and mirror or.
On the lowest plate are the letters —
G R S T
upon a lozenge ; and this inscription : —
Posurrunt ^ietatis iHonumentum. 29. On the north side of the east window is a similar tablet to LADY DAUNSEY (mother of Wm. Skeffington, Esq.), with brass plates.
•fefrr \m^rr ferfli intmTc)' il)r loLTtr af iamf sli^abetFi « * iBbnfei) Dir:m5i^i> ofti^r tjaillf ^ faiiiilii of p>pf krs firft ingn'rD to sir^otra sl^rffiugton l^ni^ff Ccniitprar stirrittr of toiiDoi^atofflarrieD tos',jSal]n iatiurQH l!^inal)tf^bi]t ^ Din 1^49.
J5tiouQl}f tnrtuf^*rarf DiD^rati)!^ linat)tf aboimDe' /HncMdeBijf 9i iiiill ftia \i3o;itn3f iaL)if«.0)i> pocFtCf * Bft uDtijiTiflp mjj' raDf t]cr pTtnle Dii) morr Y?[oun5e l^enffllttie in 3e[iis ct)n[t lljitti loDn? aoDline^ ^n fir to blmii> a liimr to iauir ilir toas 'Co poorr ftfi'pnt> 9f kpirar fn ecqe' Dmrc lboit3f I)onoiirf{>jit]t1oufc>toolOftiii!^ Dome tjiptu pas •fo placf appoiitteci' bu tt^r'loiir Wii^m faleaeD^yt Chal be
iOTTUTTlfn'tura
.^-
Tomb No. 29.— Dame Elizabeth Daunsey
The SKEFFrxGroN Tablets. S'jr
The centre one bears also a quaint inscription : —
^crr unlicr ILuftfj mtcrvcti i\}t ISotim of Qamc tIrlBafactf).
©aunscu bisccnticli of Hjc {joii3£ v^ familg of m IDcckca first marrfcti to Sir 3aljn <Ske£Eiicjton ^uicjljtc sonirtumc JSfjertffc of SLontio' v^ after niarrirtJ
to <Sr 3o\)n Qaimsag lAuirjljtt. <Bhiit 3lo tin'i 1549.
E\)auQ^ fai'rtucs rare tiit) in tijt's ISEirjfjte abountJc anb SIEcltf)e at Ujtll tfji's tnortijic llaliie tiiti poressc get notijincfc in m entic ijer prafsc bill more resoimtie tfjcn faitljx in Sesus (Cijrist Initfj sober pblincs 2ln cie to blinti a lume to lame sije luas (Ea poore a frenti ©f itgnnc in £ci)e begre Botije f)onoiireti v^ bclobeb too for t|)is botfj birtu pas Co place appointed bg tlje ilortic luijere blesseli gt 3f}al be.
On the upper plate these arms : — Per pale : dexter, quarterly of six pieces (as on monument No. 28) ;, sinister ......
three eagles displayed two and one (Peche), and on
the lowest plate an inscription and initials the same as upon. No, 28.
At Brewood Church, in the east wall of south aisle, there was in 1680 a companion tablet to Nos. 28 and 29, witli similar initials at foot —
G R S T
and this inscription : — *
Posiierunt ^^ietatis fHonumentum ^ere iintirr Igetfj tfjc botio of 3onc, sometime tfjr tjantjfjter of Sames Eebison ^sq toljiclj 3one toas first marrieti ta Milliam Skeffincfton (ffsq, seeonbln to Milliam JFoiuke.t (gentleman, et lastlg to dBbluartJ (Siffarli (!^sq. ©biit auuo IDom. 1572.
SS The Skeffington Tablets.
crisis bfrtiiaus Bnmc, Infjilc H)nt sljc lifarti i^ffr, 21 sotilg iBatran toas, but Cljn'st {)cr cfjirf ijoltr, OEija totll fjE corpse rrstarc to !l?faiicn's r|iccr» ?SE{)crc iiaijoi i}cr souk Ijcr Sabiour tiotlj ictjolti STo learn of life tlje course anli fatal race (iri)at mortal flcsl) upon tl)e eartlj must run 2Lfje bjljtci) faotlj olb attti gouiitj must trace W^)zn as tl)e ILorb cuts off tlje tijreatj suell spun The Skeffingtons of Skeffington, meaning a "sheep town," in Leicestershire, are an ancient family, allied to many Staffordshire families, and in later times had their seat at Fisherwick, co. Stafford.
Sir John Skeffington, Knight, the father of Wm. Skeffington of White Ladies, and husband of 'the Lady Dauntsay,' was an Alderman of London, Merchant of the Staple at Calais. By his will, dated 1524, he gave one third of his property " according to the laudable custom of the city of London to his dear wife Elizabeth," and besides many bequests to relations, friends, and apprentices, gave divers sums to churches, and a vestment with all its appurtenances to be set on the cross at Skeffington Church. He died 1525, seised of lands in the city of London, and the counties of Middlesex and York, leaving, with other children, "VS'illiam his son and heir, 13 years old in 1529, described as of White Ladies, Shrop- shire. His will, dated 1551, gives ^^20 to his eldest son, John, £^0 each to his other cliildren not married, and the residue to Johanna, executrix with her brother, R. Leveson, Esq., and the said son John : proved at Newport, 1551, the testator calling himself "of the parish of Tong," in which White Ladies was said to be situated. :j:
Edward Mytton, Esq., of Wcston-under-Lizard, an ancestor of t^c present owner of Tong and Weston, married Cecilia, daughter of Sir Wm. Skeffington, as a large monument in Weston Church records.
One " Sir Wm. Skeffington, knight, was appointed by King Henry VIH., in 1529, commissioner to Ireland, empowered to
* Kx Ilii-kr.-Hiuith s '/istorii of firewood, from Ashniolean VISS.
t William Fowke died, i8 February, 1558, and was buried in Brewood Churchyard.
t Nichol's Leicesters/iire.
DuRANT Family. 89
restrain the exactions of soldiers, to call a Parliament, and to provide that the clergy's possessions might be subject to bear their part of the public expense. He was a very distinguished political personage in Ireland, and died in the government of that kingdom as Lord Deputy, 1535-"
Lady Daunsay's second husband. Sir John Daunsay, may possibly be the London Alderman of that name occurring about 1542, the founder of the Daunsay Charity at West Lavington, of the Mercers' Company.
30. DURANT monuments in the chancel. The larger one, a handsome marble monument, has sculpture emblem- atical of grief, Mr. Durant's arms vi^ith the motto " Beati qui durant " (Blessed are they who endure, or Blessed are the Durants), besides the following inscription : —
Beneath are deposited the remains of George Durant of Tong Castle, Esquire who died Aug. 4, i/So, Aged 46 He married Maria daughter of Mark Beaufoy Esq and left issue George, born April 25th, 1776 Maria born July 2nd, 1779 who died April 24th 17% and is interred in the same vault.
His sentiments were liberal His disposition humane His manners polished Happy alike in his mental As in his personal accomplishments. In the same vault are deposited the remains of Marianne, eldest daughter of George and Marianne Durant, who was born 32nd November, 1779, and died iSth March, iSoo. And of Mark Hanbury Durant, their fifth son, born November 5th, 1808, and died August 22nd, 1815. Emma, their youngest daughter, died in France June 5th, 1S29, ag d 19, and was buried in the great cemetery called Pcre-Lachaise at Paris, in a little chapei built to h3r beloved memory by her disconsolate father.
The family of DURANT, which has left such traces of itself at Tong and the neighbourhood, came from Worcestershire, and in the Market Place at Worcester is still to be seen an old black and white timbered house bearing the inscription " Love God W B 1577 R D Honour the King." The former half of the inscription having been placed there when the house was built by William Berksley, the latter portion was added by Richard Durant, who lived there at the time of the Civil Wars ; and it was to this house that Charles II. repaired with Lord Wilmot when the disastrous issue of the battle ot
go DuRANT Family.
Worcester was known. He was followed there by Colonel Corbet, a Parliamentarian, and, it is said, effected his escape by the back door as his pursuers entered by the front.
Another of the family was rector of Hagley in the days of Lord Lyttleton of " ghostly fame," and his Lordship seems to have taken a dislike to his son or nephew George, who subse' quently became the first Durant of Tong Castle, on account of some difference with one of the Lyttleton family during the time he was holding a position under Government in the West Indies. It was while occupying a situation provided for him by Lord Holland, to whom he had been on a former occasion able to do a kindness, that Mr. George Durant amassed a very large fortune at Havannah, and returning to England determined to locate himself somewhere in the neighbourhood where his forefathers had lived, and with this view he purchased from the Duke of Kingston the Tong Castle estate.
Mr. Durant (about 1764) demolished all but the main block of Sir Harry Vernon's castle, built in 1500. It was a picturesque building of red brick, with stone quoins and clustering twisted chimneys rising above the towers, a very beautiful specimen of the embattled manor-house. Some portions of Sir Harry's building are still left, notably the north and south ends, and the clustered chimneys, as shewn in Buck's View of 173 1 (see page 50). The plan of the Castle itself consisted of masses of buildings arranged around three sides of a parallelogram with detached buildings. Mr. Durant seems to have encased the remaining portion of it in stone according to a fanciful design of his own, a mixture of Gothic and Moorish architecture. Surmounted by its lofty domes and pinnacles, the structure is noticeable principall}' for its massive and stately appearance. This is enhanced in a great measure on the church side by its position at the edge of a broad rich greensward extending uninterruptedly to its very foot, and the pretty low-lying sheet of water winding along the valley ;
DuRANT Family. 91
while on the west side, just below the lawn and shrubberies, this scene of marked repose rapidl}' changes into one of wilder beauty as the two hurrying streamlets burst away over little falls till they mingle in the dell below.
Mr. G. Durant's son George succeeded him. He was four years old at his father's death. His eccentric character is indicated by the quaint buildings, monuments with hiero- glyphics, and inscriptions alike to deceased friends, eternity, and favourite animals, which were then to be found on every path of the demesne. One in the wood still bears " si monu- MENTUM REQUiRAS ciRCuMSPiCE," and of Others some further account is'given in a later part of this work. He married firstly Miss Eld, of Seighford, by whom he had a son, George Stanton Eld, who predeceased his father, leaving a son, George Charles Selwyn, who succeeded his grandfather, and sold the estate in 1855. He never lived at Tong Castle, and died in 1875 without surviving issue.
DURANT Tablet near east wall.
George Durant remarried ^September 25, 1830, Celeste, daughter of Monr. Caesar Lavefve, of Lorraine, and had issue : —
Born. Died. Buried.
Cecil September 8, 1831 «.... March 25, 1832 Beneath
Celestin November 22, 1833
Cecilia January 20, 1835
Augustine January 27, 1837
Alfred June 7, 1838
Agnes May 2, 1840
The above George Durant died Nov. 29th, 1844, aged 6g. DURANT Tablet near Vestry Door —
Died. Aged. Buried.
Maria .. Rose . . . . Bell .... George .. Hope .... Marianne Maria . .
Apl. 15, 1833 331
Mar. 24, 1838 32 ]■ Beneath.
Sept. 6, 1835
Durant Sept. 24, 1831 301 In the
Feb. 14, 1836 25 ) churchyard,
their mother Apl. 16, 1829 54 Seighf^^xd.
their grandmother Apl. 28, 1S32 74 Dawlish.
Remarried to Major Payne and Colonel Chapman. Ernest obiit, March 25th, 1846 iEtat 35.
g2 Hatchments — Elizabeth Piereepoint.
The Vault under the middle of the Choir contains ten coffins of the Durant Family.
HATCHMENTS.— Over No. 30 were until lately two hatchments or mourning shields to members of the Durant family. Jurisdictions of Courts Leet, 1675, gives an account of " Trespass brought b}^ Dame Wiche against the Parson for taking down a Coat of Armour with the arms of her husband, when it was decided that a Parson shall not have that nor the Churchwardens, for they are hung there for the honour of the body of him that was buried there."
31. Over the Vestry door is a monument of statuary and grey marble. The inscription upon it records the death of ELIZABETH, only child of Gcrvase Lord PIERREPONT aged II.
A medallion above the inscription shews a finely executed head of a lady, and probably not representing the child referred to in the inscription. There is also some excellent sculpture of drapery, with a shield ; and below are the skull, cross-bones, &c., emblems of death.
In 1763 *' there v.'as on the north side of the chancel a hust in the wall of a daughter of the Pierpoint family, hut no epitapJi.'"^ May not the medallion be intended to commemo- rate Elizabeth Pierrepoint, the child's grandmother, eventual sole heiress of Sir Thomas Harries, through whom Tong Castle passed to the Pierrepoint family ? It seems unlikely that there would be no memorial at Tong to one whose protect- ing arm probably shielded the Church and its monuments during the troublous times of the Comnr.onwealth, and who was buried at Tong, July i, 1656.
' Ex iihrcdt and r'alches, Shnusbury Journal, from the (r'ntleman's Magazine,
93
Elizabeth Pierrepont.
Hie infra
Terrestria Impedimenta
Prjematurius reliquit quasi ad coelum Properans
Elizabetha Pierrepont.
Ao. JErae Cbrni. cioiocxcvii Pridie Kal. Sept.
Annos nata xi
Puella ingenii acuminis & Morum Vrbanitatis
Supra yEtatulae captum.
Quam multa jam Feliciter edocta,
Nihil non si diutius Parcae Favissent Assecutura
Parentum Decus Dulce Familiarum Delicias
Utrorumque spes gratissima
Filia unica Gervasii Pierrepont Armigeri Dni Terra do Tong
Nepotis Roberti Pierrepont Comitis Kingstonia
Accerimi (ingruentibus sub Carole lo Rege dissidiis CivilibusJ Strategi
Fidelitatis suo Princip i debitas, etiam vitse dispendio Assertoris :
Cui Genus ortum a Roberto de Pierrepont
Gul'mo lo Regi Expeditionum Comite ;
Fratrum natu maximo,
Quorum etiam dum superest in Normannia
Posteritas.
* Ov y s <f>iXu ©cos y airoOvrjaKti veos.
TRANSLATIOII : —
Here, below, Elizabeth Pierrepont prematurely has cast oflf [her] earthly trammels at it were hasting to heaven, in the year 1697 of the Christian Era, on the day befor« the Kalends of September [31st August] Eleven years old. A maiden endowed with a mind, prudence, and sweetness of manner far beyond her tender years : How many precepts of her parents would she not have gladly followed if the Fates had spared her longer ! The ornament of her friends, the delight of her family, the most pleasing hope of both : The only daughter of Gervase Pierrepont, Esquire, Lord of the Land of Tong, nephew of Robert Pierrepont, Earl of Kingston, in the civil wars which raged biiterly under King Charles I. the assertor of fidelity due to his Prince, even at the cost of his life : He wa* descended from Robert de Pierrepont, companion of the expeditions of William I. the Conqueror — the eldest brother— whose posterity even yet survives in Normandy.
Whom God loves dies young.
Mr. Walter de Gray Birch writes me thus : The Greek line should be : —
' Ov 01 ®eol (fnXovfriv airo6in^(rK€L veos.
He whom the Gods love, dies young.
It is a fragment of a poem by Maenander, a comic poet, who died B.C. 290. Plautus says : " Quetn di diligunt adolescens moritur,^' a similar sentiment. The inscription as given herein is slightly altered, and reads : He whom God, etc.
^4
Dr. Bukebidge.
32. Over the stalls, between the two north windows of the chancel, is a white marble TABLET bearing the following inscription : —
Sacred to the memory of the Revd.
Charles Buckeridge D.D.
Archdeacon of Coventry tirst Canon Residentiary
and Prsecentor of the Cathedral
Church of Lichfield
And sixteen years Minister of this Parish
Died 28 Sept 1S27 aged 72. In the same vault are interred the Remains
of his three children
Margaretta born April 1800 died an infant.
Mary Elizabeth born 10 Aug. 1797
Died 7 Septr. 1810 aged 13 years.
Charles Lewis born 3rd July 1802
Died 7 Feb 1812 aged 9 years and 7 months.
Elirabeth relict of the said Charles Buckeridge D.D.
and daughter of the late Richard Slaney Esq.
of Shiffnal in this County
Died 13th Feb. 1S32 aged 69 years.
Mr. H. F. J. Vaughan writes : " The Slaneys were much "connected with this neighbourhood, having been Lords of *'Donington for many generations, but I do not find one of " them v/ife of Dr. Buckeridge, who married a Miss Durant, *'and had two children buried at Tong."
At> ^V <t> ^V At> At> ^V *^V ^t> ^t>^ '^t^ ^V ^?^ '^t^ ifi> ^i> ^!i> ^i> ^a"^ ^i"*" *'i'^ '^A''^ '^a'^ ^'i"* ^'>> *'*"^ ^a"* '*'a^
G"^!*^ G'^i'^c) o^'^ 'Sit) o^'^ 'oV'c) o"/c) o'/c) J (■'d oYc) o'/t) o ."c) o v'a o /O
^V 'vV ^V ^-t^ '^V ^V <Y> ^V M-* ^V *.t>' ^V ^t> aV
^i> *^A> '<iv ^^y^ ^+> '^A^* ''^♦^ ^-f^ *^y ^*> ^A> ''♦>< =*^*>* ^4^
VESTRY.
VISITOR to Tong in 1763, describes this as " a detached building, now used as a Vestry." The- massive door has some carving, and in the upper part, three circular holes four or five inches in diameter (see iUustration) ; these are too small for "doles" to be given through, and although Mr. Cole re- marked that besides a church and a college there were along the street some almshouses, afterwards called by him a
VESTRY DOOR.
hospital, " which seems to have a chapel of its own," there is no reason to suppose it was a hospital for lepers, who, tO' avoid contagion, were accustomed to receive the consecrated elements through apertures provided for that purpose near the chancel.
g6 Vestry Elcock brass, 1510.
The two vestry windows are two-light ones, and differ from all the other windows in having no labels or tracery ; their forms are marked b}^ small sunk triangles similar to the sedilia. The stained glass formerly in the vestry window shewed the half-length figure of a King, very similar to the head of King Edward III. in the great east window of York Cathedral, date latter end of the 14th century, by John Thorn- ton, of Coventry, glazier."^
" The Vestry and Chancel doors have the four-centred arch^ and are not later insertions ; and these doors alone have spandrils."
33. BRASS in two pieces to RALPH ELCOCK, 1510. This was for a long time in the Vestry, having been detached from the south wall of the south aisle (at the spot marked R E on plan). It is now fixed nearly in its old position.
J^t'c jacct Katiulp!j3 ©Icack (Cekr cofriits I'gitis (CoUegii qui i^atus fail m btUa Slopfarliie infia Comitatu CDestrfe qui obiit in festo 0C£ kat£i-iu£ Firgmfe £t JHarter ^nno iunt iniUim0 ccccc tiwimo.
Translation of inscription : — -
Here lies Ralph Elcock, celerer and co-brother of this College, wha was born in the town of Stopford, in the county of Chester, who died on the tfeast of St. Katherine, Virgin and Martyr, in the year of our Lord on® thousand five hundred and ten.
The " Celerer " had care of the provisions of the College.
34. In the Vestry floor a small BRASS PLATE bears :—
BENEATH
ARE ENTOMBED THE REM.A.INS OF
ARCHDK.\C0N BUCKERIDGE
AND ELIZABETH HIS WIDOW
ALSO OF
CHARLES; LEWIS, MARY ELIZABETH,
AND
MARGARBTTA THEIR CHILDREN.
(See tablet No. 32 )
• See Carttrt Architecture. j 25th November.
^^lir larrt l^aiiilpFcM rrlre mfi-atifn^£Dlian qm nafaB hi iii biUfl [li^i^Dir nifra carai jatQ iTfliiF otnolJirt mfrftfrtfrKfltmnf ^iri^mis d mHiliT amio bin CDilliiu] imiMwo
No. 33.— Ralph Elcock ^5<v pasre </,j.
Minister's Diet, Horse, and Library. 97..
35. The LIBRARY, given by Lord Pierrepoint (see No. 24), consisted of 410 volumes, including many scarce and valuable works. A catalogue of them was made under the direction of the late Mr. Beriah BotfielcJ, M.P., F.R.S., F.S.A., and a very few copies of it are in existence. The Duke of Kingston's deed for confirming Gervase Lord Pierre- point's settlement of several charities m Tong Parish, recites a deed of 23rd October, 1697, ^7 which Gervase granted as to dieting the minister at his own table, and allowing him hs.y for his horse, and keep ; and Lord Pierrepoint granted that the minister should enjoy a chamber in Tong Castle, as the same was then furnished with books and presses, and use of the said books, which were to be inserted in a catalogue.
Still am I besy bokes assemblinge. For to have many is a pleasant thinge.
May I a small house and large garden have, And a few friends and many books, both true, Both vrise, and both delightful too.
Also, the minister to enjoy part of a stable for keeping the horse, and place over same for laying his hay, and between May-day and Michaelmas-d ly to graze his horse in Tong Park without paying for the same.
In " Heayse's Accompts " occur : —
i »■ d-
1806. Marking CoflFers in the Church.. .. ,. .. .. ..026
Printing a large board in the Vestry .. .. .. .. ..1116
1807. Altering board in the Church .. .. .. .. ^ ..oio
i8ia. Framing, boarding, and making, and materials ; a coal andcoak cupboard
in the Vestry.. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . 3 ig o
Making a ladder to go up to Libra .. .. .. .. ..ogfl
1813. NewbottomingtheBierandrepd.it .. .. .. — ..059
Painting and lengthening double doors in the Porch .. .. ..176
Do. the Wicket with green .. .. .. ., .. ., o 11 6
36. In a glass case is an ancient dalmatic or ecclesiastical VESTMENT of red velvet, embroidered and ornamented in gold and coloured silks, with cherubs in raised work, flowers, and other devices, and four scrolls, of which two I; ear mottoes : —
OOR VNVM VIA VNA- (One heart, one wayj
98
Ecclesiastical Vestment.
and two : —
VSE BIEN TEMPS. (Use tim* well)
It is considered a beautiful specimen of needlework, and is supposed to have been made by the n'uns at the Cloisters of St. Leonard of the Cistercian Order, for use in their Chapel {now called the White Ladies, and in ruins, a mile or two from Tong). It is said to be 300 years old. It was given by Lady Harries, and was used to a late period as a pulpit frontal. Size about six feet square.
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TOWER AND BELFRY.
fMMEDIATELY on opening- the door to ascend the steps the following curious lines will be seen in a frame which formerly hung on the outside face of this pillar, but were removed by direction of Bishop Lonsdale.
11 If that to Ring you doe come here,
You must ring well with hand and eare.
keep streak of time and goe not out ;
or else vou forfeit out of doubt. Our law is so concluded here ; For every fault