Ludlow & the surrounding area

Described by John Betjeman as “…England’s finest town” and by Country Life magazine as “England’s finest market town”, Ludlow is not a museum. It is steeped in tradition and history, but it is still very much a working town, a bustling centre of trade that serves a large, natural hinterland. The internationally acclaimed Ludlow Festival takes place each year in June/July.

Ludlow is the home of traditional food, from bread made with slow-rise dough, to hand-raised pork pies, and fresh fruit and vegetables, many of them from local farms. The quality of life in this town makes it a great place to live in, as well as to visit. In fact, with its slow food connections, Ludlow was the first "Cittaslow" in the UK - see link below

Ludlow boasts around 500 listed buildings, with an amazing concentration of architectural heritage in the town centre; including the magnificent castle. Medieval stone buildings rub shoulders with the imposing black-and white Tudor jettied frontages. Following the town trail will take you through 900 years of Ludlow's history. The quaint lanes make a pleasant walk through to beautiful St Lawrence's Church, where Houseman is buried.

The river Teme is very much part of Ludlow’s history and past prosperity; five weirs, including the unusual and recently restored Horseshoe Weir, produced power for a series of watermills engaged in processing wool from Marches sheep.

For lovers of the countryside, Ludlow makes a great base. Surrounded by the hills of Shropshire and North Herefordshire, and lying on the Shropshire Way and Mortimer Trail, Ludlow is ideally placed as a base for walking or cycling. It also has local facilities for sports such as mountain biking, horse riding and canoeing, as well as a popular leisure centre. The Severn Valley Railway, many stately homes, including the National Trust properties of Croft Castle and Berrington Hall, Acton Scott working farm, and the Shropshire Hills discovery centre make it a great area for family outings

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