Ludlow: From Feathers to Festivals
Ludlow, the beautiful historic Shropshire town, sits on the English side of the England/Wales border in what is known as the Marches. There is a cornucopia of things to see and do in the town and surrounding area and the first step is to take your pick from a large selection of Ludlow Accommodation.
The hilltop town is famous for its castle but, amazingly, there are around five hundred listed buildings here. Ludlow grew up around its castle, which dates to the 11th century and is described as one of the finest castles in the Marches. Open to visitors throughout the year it's also where many of the town's events are held like the Ludlow Food and Drink Festival, Ludlow Craft Festival, the Marches Festival of Transport and the Ludlow Festival, which hosts an open-air production of a Shakespeare play.
Look carefully and you'll spot several different styles of architecture including Norman, Medieval and Tudor. The castle has another point of historic interest: Prince Edward and his younger brother Richard, later to become known as the princes who were murdered in the Tower of London, spent much of their childhood at Ludlow Castle.
The 14th century Castle Lodge is just outside the castle gates €" note the nearby cannon too. The lodge has undergone much restoration over the years but it mostly dates from around the Tudor era with the black and white timber upper storey added in 1600.
Sometimes referred to a as €The Cathedral of the Marches', the parish church of St Laurence is one of the largest in the county. Most of the present building is 15th century and there's some beautiful stained glass €" some of it medieval. In the churchyard, there's a commemoration to A. E. Housman, the author of €A Shropshire Lad'. And the 132-feet-high church tower holds one of the finest rings of 10 bells in the country.
Close to the church, you'll find The Reader's House, an Elizabethan town house built by John Dalton, a Ludlow bookseller, though this ancient stone and timber building began life a couple of centuries earlier. The half-timbered 3-storey porch is a 1616 addition and the house boasts a medieval cellar, oak floors, original ornamental plasterwork, fine panelling and mullion windows.
Another ancient building is the early 17th century coaching inn, The Feathers Hotel, so called because of the ostrich feather decoration on the facade. The Jacobean building, which is still open for business today, is where Royalist soldiers were billeted during the Civil War, and was described in the New York Times as €the most handsome inn in the world' €" quite an accolade.
Guided tours of the town are available which take in much of the architecture, and the knowledgeable guides often tell stories of Ludlow's characters from the past. Or you may prefer to wander around and discover the gems for yourself. Either way, this lovely place has a good deal to offer its visitors, so decide on your Ludlow Accommodation and enjoy!
For more information on Ludlow please visit our resource box below.
The hilltop town is famous for its castle but, amazingly, there are around five hundred listed buildings here. Ludlow grew up around its castle, which dates to the 11th century and is described as one of the finest castles in the Marches. Open to visitors throughout the year it's also where many of the town's events are held like the Ludlow Food and Drink Festival, Ludlow Craft Festival, the Marches Festival of Transport and the Ludlow Festival, which hosts an open-air production of a Shakespeare play.
Look carefully and you'll spot several different styles of architecture including Norman, Medieval and Tudor. The castle has another point of historic interest: Prince Edward and his younger brother Richard, later to become known as the princes who were murdered in the Tower of London, spent much of their childhood at Ludlow Castle.
The 14th century Castle Lodge is just outside the castle gates €" note the nearby cannon too. The lodge has undergone much restoration over the years but it mostly dates from around the Tudor era with the black and white timber upper storey added in 1600.
Sometimes referred to a as €The Cathedral of the Marches', the parish church of St Laurence is one of the largest in the county. Most of the present building is 15th century and there's some beautiful stained glass €" some of it medieval. In the churchyard, there's a commemoration to A. E. Housman, the author of €A Shropshire Lad'. And the 132-feet-high church tower holds one of the finest rings of 10 bells in the country.
Close to the church, you'll find The Reader's House, an Elizabethan town house built by John Dalton, a Ludlow bookseller, though this ancient stone and timber building began life a couple of centuries earlier. The half-timbered 3-storey porch is a 1616 addition and the house boasts a medieval cellar, oak floors, original ornamental plasterwork, fine panelling and mullion windows.
Another ancient building is the early 17th century coaching inn, The Feathers Hotel, so called because of the ostrich feather decoration on the facade. The Jacobean building, which is still open for business today, is where Royalist soldiers were billeted during the Civil War, and was described in the New York Times as €the most handsome inn in the world' €" quite an accolade.
Guided tours of the town are available which take in much of the architecture, and the knowledgeable guides often tell stories of Ludlow's characters from the past. Or you may prefer to wander around and discover the gems for yourself. Either way, this lovely place has a good deal to offer its visitors, so decide on your Ludlow Accommodation and enjoy!
For more information on Ludlow please visit our resource box below.
