Shropshire 5 - a windy night in Ludlow

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We moved on from Bridgnorth to the lovely market town of Ludlow. My stonking cold still lingering on and showing little sign of improvement. The town has a castle and at the back of my mind I believe it is a founder member in this country of Slow Food Movement something started in Italy. Most people miss Ludlow as the town has an excellent by pass. My lasting memories are of driving through 30 odd years ago in the days before the by pass. Ludlow being built on a hill meant hill starts in an old and decrepit Mini with dodgy handbrake and brakes. How we dreaded a hill start holding the car with its brakes wishing the lights would change from red to green. And the rain - the bain of the life of Mini drivers. It lashed in under the bonnet, getting in to the coil and cracking the distibutor cap. Many was the time when we had to employ the WD40, spray the engine and hope it would start or find ourselves waiting for the RAC to come and rescue us. Cracked distributor caps were the norm in the early 1970's. None of this with Suzy though she sails through the rain and wind. Having said that she was buffeted about rather a lot last night on the new and very open campground. It reminded us of our encounter last year with the Mistral howling a gale round us as we tried to clear the roads between Genoa and Port Grimaud. Not quite the same frightening experience as this time our feet were on the ground and the van wasnt 100's of feet in the high above the sea as we travelled on viaducts high in the sky.

Morris Group have built a nice site although it is rather open as there are no trees to shelter you from the wind. In a few years time when things mature it will be a lovely site. The reception buildings are all new and are manned by yet another friendly lady who issued us with the keyfob for the gates and the key for the showers block. There were more motorhomers here than at Bridgnorth and fewer Tuggers. We were given a welcome card at both sites and after twelve paid nights you get one free. We may try the Bettws y Coed site for a night or two perhaps.

We had decided to walk to town but again it was further than they advertised. The receptionist told us to walk through the dog walking area and to ignore the bus stop at the top of the road as the bus didnt come that way. . We needed to walk against the wind which buffeted us to the junction for Richards Castle and wait for the bus there. As they only ran two hourly we headed off straight away. The bus was a little late but turned up eventually. We presented our consessionary bus tickets and I explained that they were from Wales and that he probably wouldnt take them. He smiled and said "Why not , we are close to Wales" so were lucky to use our bus passes for the first time for a free ride into Ludlow. What a pleasant surprise but what about coming back ? Would we be so lucky?

Arriving in the town we crossed over the bridge which traverses the River Teme. Despite the cold there were canoeists on the river. Rather them than me as they battled the fast flowing currents .

We got off at the Assembly Rooms and headed through the market which was full of local fruit and vegetables. Ludlow lies very close to the welsh border in what is known as the Welsh Marches. From the Assembly rooms the towns medieval streets radiate and it was along these we walked and shivered. Oh how we longed for a little sun on our backs.

Entry to the castle was reduced to £9 for the two of us as we qualified for the reduced pensioner rate. There are some advantages being over 60. The castle grounds are extensive and inside we found a Norman keep which had been extended over the centuries to become a fortified palace. It became crown property in 1461 later becoming home to the Council of the Marches which had responsibility for government in Wales and in the Borders. It was abandoned in 1689 and quickly became a ruin and what an impressive ruin it became. Inside the castle was a small gift shop and we joined by two other visitors and what looked like two school trips. The little girls huddling together doing girly sorts of things. Heads together - a breeding ground for lice I thought as I remembered back to childhood in school.

From the castle we walked down the street to the Feathers Hotel which was a 17th century coaching inn now upgraded to a forty bedded hotel complete with four poster beds luxury rooms with spa bath, an award winning but expensive restaurant and a cafe bar with terrace. Probably pleasant on a nicer day. . The hotel sits beautifully in the street in its magpie livery. We were stopped by an elderly gentleman who was watching us taking photographs. He gave us a potted history of the building we were looking at and pointed us in the direction of other interesting buildings we might otherwise have missed.

Next stop and its now snowing and bitterly cold so we entered the courtyard behind the church. Small neat and pretty and lined with black and white dwellings. The church pretty impressive built in rich warm sandstone. The parish church was established by the Normans in the 11th century. The tower is 135 feet (41 metres) high and commands expansive views of the local area. The church was rebuilt in the year 1199 and has had several later additions and modifications. It appears that during the Middle Ages considerable wealth accrued to the town based upon the wool trade. And so the church grew as the wealth kept coming in. The major works occurred between 1433 and 1471 with a virtual re-building of the nave, tower and chancel elements The tower took on a Perpendicular style which was so loved at the time in 15th century England . Most churches were built in this style and it is certainly elegant.
The large east window of the chancel was very beautiful letting in subtle light even on such a dull day. Sadly as always restoration work took place in 1832 with the Victorians having a had in further refurbishment between 1859 and 1861. There were not many people inside and we were able to wander round looking in every nook and cranny. To one side a carillion and to the other the internal workings of an earlier Joyce of Whitchurch tower clock. The Joyce company probably fitted most clock workings to many of the local churches and to those further afield. The chancel contains the mediaeval choir stalls adorned with numerous wooden misericoards. Some quite raunchy with mermaids admiring themselves in mirrors. The roof wooden and whilst not widely ornate was quite subtle and beautiful. No winged angels just small bosses. Apparently there were catacombs with impressive church monuments but we missed these. Shame as they sounded wonderful to look at. There was also the opportunity to go up the belltower to see the impressive views across rural Shropshire . We missed these on purpose, not fancying the climb up to what would have been a cold and very window viewpoint. The altar reredos was in the process of being restored with scaffolding hiding the side portions, a plastic sheet covering the altar and a plastic bottle of white spirit instead of sacred wine. Henry Prince of Wales died in Ludlow and his heart was buried near to the stone plaque in the stone floor. How our history would have been different had he lived!!! Ludlow is a lovely church but we needed a warm and a drink so we headed for DeGrays Cafe hidden down a small side street. Upon entering the place was heaving and we had to queue before being taken to table in the far end of what was a Tardis like building. Black and white timbered the back half of the cafe was linked to the cake shop at the front. We were served by petite waitresses in prim black dresses, white laced aprons and pretty white hats. A throwback to the 1930's an elegant cafe which served proper tea made with tea leaves and presented in tiny white china cups. A sieve placed neatly on a tray. Toasted tea cakes served under a silver platter. After his journey into the past we found ourselves chatting to a couple from the South of England who were waiting for the same bus back to the campsite. They too were freezing and not enjoying the weather. We discussed motorhomes - they had bought a second hand three year old model and were well pleased with it. They hadn't been abroad but spent most of last year touring Britain and they recommended Sandringham as a good site with plenty to do. They were over 60 and as we went on the bus they presented their English bus pass. All Ok let on the bus without paying . We followed and offered our Welsh ones with a big smile. The driver refused to take them off us and made us pay the bus far back home. The Welsh Assembly Government have much to answer for on bus passes. The couple we sat by had used theirs in their own county of Oxford, in Cornwall and in Norfolk. Us - we have used it once and it is useless unless you use it in our small country of Wales. Back to the van and the short break over . Where to go next? It's a hard life thinking up places to visit - Isnt it?

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Photos

Ludlow
Ludlow Castle from the courtyard

Ludlow
Sion got in on the act again.

Ludlow
Through the square window

Ludlow
The Feathers

Ludlow
Church

Ludlow
Church Roof

Ludlow
The reredos

Ludlow church
A saucy lady misericord

Ludlow Church
How our history would have been different if he hadn't popped his clogs