Preservation of Tong Village

by Sam Greenhough

The value of this unique area of outstanding natural beauty set between two large industrial cities was finally recognised in the case of both Tong (1973) and Fulneck (1972) when they were designated conservation areas. In Tong’s case, as recently as 2005 this area was defined in Bradford Council’s own Conservation Area Assessment document as follows:

Tong Village, Bradford : Extracts from "Tong - Conservation Area Assessment". Published December 2005 by Bradford County Council “Tong is in the extreme southeast of Bradford District in a green wedge of land between the urban areas of Bradford and Leeds, the centre of the former being 5km to the northwest and the centre of the latter being about 6km to the northeast. Although surrounded by Green Belt, most of the settlements nearest to Tong are urban in character, Tong Street being 2.5km to the west of the village, Drighlington 1.5km to the south, Gildersome, 2.5 km to the southeast and New Farnley 2km to the east.

The rural village of Bankhouse and the Moravian settlement of Fulneck are about 1km to the north of Tong with Cockersdale 1km to the southeast. Tong Conservation Area Tong Conservation Area was originally designated in 1973. The designation covers virtually the entire village which extends in a linear fashion along Tong Lane, the main thoroughfare.

Tong village predates the Norman Conquest and was the seat of Tong Manor between the thirteenth and mid-twentieth centuries. The manor remained in the hands of the Tempests, who resisted the expansion and industrialisation of the village, for some four hundred years before selling the Hall and estate in 1941. Unusually, a great number of the buildings in the conservation area were built in the eighteenth century including Tong Hall (1702) and the adjacent courtyard (1711), St James’s Church (1727), the school (1736) and several newly built and rebuilt farmhouses and estate cottages. These buildings used a mixture of red brick and local gritstone, making the conservation area unique in Bradford in terms of materials.

The survival of these buildings and key open spaces such as Tong Park, the churchyard and cricket ground and the original pastoral setting makes Tong a very pleasant and rare rural estate village in West Yorkshire

Preservation of the Character and Appearance of Tong Conservation Area

The City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council will make use of the powers afforded to it by national legislation and apply the policies set out in its Unitary Development Plan to control further change within the conservation area. Most importantly:

There will be a strong presumption in favour of preserving both listed and unlisted properties and spaces that contribute to the special interest of the conservation area, as well as the surviving elements of its setting that are intrinsic to its rural aspect.

In making decisions on proposed new developments within the conservation area, or affecting its setting, special attention will be paid to the desirability of preserving its character and appearance.

Important views and vistas within, across, into and out of the conservation area should be respected. This is particularly important in keeping key buildings and landscape features visible and ensuring the open countryside remains a ubiquitous backdrop”.

Tong Cockersdale Countryside Project

One of the most striking features of Tong and its surrounding district are the beautiful walks which can be enjoyed by following one of the old packhorse tracks which extend out of the village in just about every direction, either north to Fulneck and Bankhouse, east to Troydale and Farnley, west to Holme and Tyersal, or south to Cockersdale. Once in the valley, by following the course of the beck it is possible to travel for miles without ever encountering a public road, which is why this place is now so popular with walkers, mountain bikers and horse riders (there are at least two large riding schools situated in the area for this purpose).

This recreational potential was recognised in 1973 when Bradford and Leeds established the Tong Cockersdale Countryside Management Project. Served by a full-time warden, assisted by a voluntary group of people (therefore ensuring modest costs), the aim was to improve and maintain stiles, walls, signposts and bridges along the numerous footpaths as seen on the map.