More information : [SJ 79160693] Tong Castle on Site of[T.I.] Castle [GT.] (1)
"Tong Castle is an old irregular edifice, built of stone, except the East wing, which being demolished in the civil wars was rebuilt with brick in the same style of building with the rest". (2)
Tong Castle was originally built in the time of Richard II, a licence to crenellate having been granted in the 5th year of his reign, but it was entirely rebuilt in the last[18th] century. (3)
George Durant bought the castle and manor of Tong in 1762. He demolished the castle built by Sir Henry Vernon in 1500, which was possibly the second castle on the site. [Refers to Eyton. See 5] (4)
Tong Castle was modernised in the 18th century, and all its early work hidden by a front of semi-moorish design, built by a member of the Durant family, who bought the estates in 1746. (5)
Tong Castle. Sir Henry Vernon, who died in 1515, was stated by Leland to have rebuilt".. an old castel of stone new at of brike..." The great brick Tudor house of the Vernons was replaced about 1765, with a Georgian-Gothic mansion. (6)
Notes on the ancient charters, etc. relating to the Manor of Tong. Domesday: Tuange. [SJ 70 NE 2 for possible original site of Tong Castle] (7)
The site occupies a flat spur of land at the junction of two steep-sided valleys. No trace of former defensive works linking these valleys was noted. The latest Tong Castle has been destroyed, and the entire area is occupied by rubble and young trees. (8)
Excavation of Tong Castle by Alan Wharton between May and October 1976 revealed evidence of occupation from the 12th century. (9)
Excavation continued during the winter of 1976-7 and the summer of 1977. Five periods of castle building have been established. The excavation continues. (10)
Further excavations, reported in interim form (11-5) have both clarified the S stage building sequence and provided additional structural information. The position of the 12th century corn mill has been located (13, siteNo. 5) and the 18th century Ice House has been excavated and reconstructed at the Avoncroft Museum of Buildings, Bromsgrove. (11-15) |