Tong Castle Hill

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Tonge; Tongue; Tong Norton

In the civil parish of Tong. In the historic county of Shropshire (Modern Authority of Shropshire, 1974 county of Shropshire).

Earthwork remains of a motte and bailey castle known as Castle Hill, in the hamlet of Tong Norton. The castle is probably that mentioned in a charter dated 1185-90, although it is unclear whether an earlier documentary reference to a castle at Tong in 1098 relates to this site or to the castle 1.1km to the south west (mostly destroyed by the construction of the M54)(qv). The motte has been formed from a natural steep-sided, flat-topped knoll of red sandstone beside the River Wolfe, which is surmounted by gently undulating land. This kidney-shaped mound measures 40m by 55m at its base, 28m by 33m across the top and is between 5m and 2.5m high. The sides of the knoll may have been artificially enhanced to increase its defensiveness. To the south of the mound lies a triangular shaped bailey, measuring 40m by 65m internally. It is defined on its eastern side by a well-defined scarp, up to 0.8m high, created by cutting into the natural slope. On its western side it is defined by a natural slope, possibly artificially enhanced, that falls towards the River Wolfe.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SJ79420800

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 73653
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 01071 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Books
  • Duckers, Peter and Anne, 2006, Castles of Shropshire (Stroud: Tempus) p163-4
    Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern) p80
    Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p59
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p431
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker) p324
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
• Journal Articles
  • 1905, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol5 p248
    Auden, J.E., 1897-8, Bye-gones [ser2] Vol5 p407
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p397
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol5 p16 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl05lelauoft
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, 1987, Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 31993 (02/02/1987)