Everything about Ludlow Castle totally explained
Ludlow Castle is a large
(External Link
), now partly ruined, non-inhabited
castle which dominates the town of
Ludlow in
Shropshire,
England. It stands on a high point overlooking the
River Teme (External Link). The castle is owned by The Trustees of the Powis Castle Estate on behalf of the family of the
Earl of Powis, and is open to the public.
History
Construction
Construction of
Ludlow Castle began in the late
11th Century as the
border stronghold of one of the
Marcher Lords,
Roger de Lacy. It is first referred to by chroniclers in
1138 but was at this time a more basic castle type. It was held by the
de Lacy's into the
13th century and with their focus on their holdings in
Ireland their enemies took it during the civil wars of the reign of
King Stephen when the King himself besieged the castle and rescued his ally Prince Henry of Scotland. In
1224 King Henry III of England met with
Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, the
Welsh prince and leader, at Ludlow to sign a treaty with the
Archbishop of Canterbury,
Stephen Langton as mediator. Early in the
14th Century it was enlarged into a magnificent
palace for
Roger Mortimer, then the most powerful man in
England.
In
1402 Edmund Mortimer, himself born at Ludlow Castle, set out from the castle with a large army to seek battle with the forces of
Owain Glyndwr - he met them in the valley of the
River Lugg at the
Battle of Bryn Glas where he was defeated, captured and eventually allied himself to the Welsh rebel's cause, to the extent of marrying one of Glyndwr's daughters with whom he'd four children, before starvation and death at the siege of
Harlech Castle in
1409.
Royal connections
Later, in the
15th century under the ownership of
Richard, Duke of York, the Castle was a major base in the
Wars of the Roses and was taken by the Lancastrians in
1459 but back in York hands in
1461. Ludlow afterwards became a royal palace. In
1472 Edward IV sent his son the
Prince of Wales and his
brother (later the ‘
Princes in the Tower’ of
Shakespeare fame), to live at the castle, which was also the seat of
Government for Wales and the Border Counties. Ludlow was now in effect the capital of Wales.
In
1501 Prince Arthur, (son of
Henry VII and brother to
Henry VIII) with his bride
Catherine of Aragon, lived here for a short time before his early death.
Mary Tudor, daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, and then heir to the throne of England as the couple's only issue, spent three winters at Ludlow between
1525 and
1528 along with her entourage of servants, advisors, and guardians.
The Civil War and subsequent decline
In the
English Civil War between
1642 to
1648 Ludlow was a Royalist stronghold and was besieged by Parliamentarian forces but negotiated a surrender, avoiding damage and
slighting. In
1669 the seat of administration for the Marches and Wales and the
Council of the Marches was centralised in London during the reign of
William and Mary. The legal and administrative community moved with it. In
1689 the
Royal Welch Fusiliers were founded at the Castle by Lord Herbert of
Chirbury but soon after it was abandoned and gradually fell into decay. In
1811 the ruins were purchased from the crown by the 2nd
Earl of Powis, in the ownership of whose family it remains.
Description of the castle
The castle forms a large rectangular
enceinte, with the town and principal entry on the east side, and the west side overlooking the river. The northwest corner is enclosed by another enciente wall forming the inner ward and the heart of the castle. Entry is gained by a bridge to the right of the rectangular
keep. The inner ward contains the residential buildings that formed the castles principal accommodation. These buildings feature large windows that overlook the courtyard. In addition, the inner ward features the remains of an unusual chapel that had a circular chancel reminiscent of
Temple Church in
London.
The castle’s long history is reflected in its varied
architecture; comprising
Norman,
Medieval and
Tudor styles.
Open Air Theatre and Event Venue
Milton’s masque
Comus was first performed in the
Great Hall in
1634 and the tradition of a performance is continued each June and July when a
play is performed in the open air within the Inner Bailey, as part of the successful
Ludlow Festival (External Link). The Castle hosts other events through-out the year. Over 50,000 people pass through the gates each year
(External Link).
Food Festival
The Ludlow and the Marches Food and Drink Festival http://www.foodfestival.co.uk/about.html takes place in the Castle precincts each September.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Ludlow Castle'.
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