Ludlow
Ludlow is located in the English county of Shropshire in the West Midlands area. It lies close to the country’s border with Wales. The town is situated on the River Teme under the Clee Hills. Ludlow was originally known by the English as Lodelowe and by the Welsh as Llwydlo.
Ludlow was big enough to be mentioned in the Domesday Book where it was listed as being part of Herefordshire. In medieval times the town was of some importance as its location made it well placed across the Welsh, Shropshire and Herefordshire areas. Ludlow Castle, for example, was used for many years as the home of the Council of Wales and the Marches as well as an important border fortification. It was also the seat of various Princes of Wales over the years. Work started on the castle by the then ruler of the town Walter de Lacy in the late 1000s.
By the 1230s Ludlow was given the right to build a wall around the town and the castle itself was improved and started to be considered as a palace rather than just a castle. Ludlow became very well known locally for its market and it played a pivotal role in the local industries of wool and cloth manufacture and trading. Nowadays it is perhaps best known for its tourist industry and for its large number of top range restaurants.
By the late 1300s the town was listed as having various Trade Guilds that specialised in activities such as shoemaking, metal working, baking and tailoring. The town’s location on the drover’s roads that connected Ludlow to Wales and to other regions led to it being used as a coaching inn stop in later years.
Ludlow was a major centre in the Wars of the Roses. The castle here was initially taken by the Duke of York but was then captured by the Lancastrians in 1459. When it passed back into royal hands under Edward IV I it was then designated as being the site of the Council of Wales and the Marches. Over the next few years the castle became the administration centre for Wales and the Welsh marches. The council was eventually abolished By William and Mary in the late 1600s.
A simple walk around Ludlow is a must for any visitor. The town is home to hundreds of interesting listed buildings including some that date back to medieval and Tudor times. The Bull Hotel, for example, is the town’s last remaining coaching inn which dates back to the 15th century. The rock deposits that lie along the Teme have been classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and are therefore also worth a visit.
If you visit Ludlow in the summer you can also see the Ludlow Festival which shows Shakespearean plays and a range of musical events and concerts. The town is also host to the Ludlow Marches Festival of Food and Drink that takes place every September around the castle area. Finally, the town also holds a Medieval Christmas Fair every year at the end of November.