Early nineteenth century English Provincial School - Tong Castle, Shropshire

Tong Castle was the neighbouring country house to Weston and occupied an ancient site, although it was rebuilt in the 1760s by George Durant, a Havannah sugar merchant, who bought the estate from the Duke of Kingston. The fanciful Gothick facades of the house are remarkably similar to unexecuted designs by Capability Brown for Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire. Brown's work at Tong - which, in spite of the demolition of the CAstle still largely survives - included contouring the land and creating a series of lakes and watercourses.