situated on an eminence, in the midst of this most luxuriant country.
After the many indifferent Welch towns which we had passed through, since
the commencement of our pedestrian excursion, we felt ourselves not a
little chagrined at our uncouth appearance, in entering so gay a place.
The streets are commodious, and the houses and public buildings extremely
neat. The gravel walks round the castle are extensive, and command, at
occasional points, distinct prospects of the gentlemen’s seats, in the
neighbourhood, with their grounds, and noble plantations. The river Teme
gives additional beauty to this fascinating spot; the new bridge,
recently erected a little below the castle, forms likewise, from this
spot, by no means an uninteresting object; add to this, at suitable
distances, the river, by means of dams, is formed into small artificial
cascades. At the extremity of the town, is another bridge, separating
the counties of Shropshire and Hereford. These walks were laid out in
the year 1772, by the Countess of Powis, at a great expence. The
overshadowing trees not only afford refreshing shelter from a summer’s
sun, but are likewise a protection from the piercing winter’s wind:
indeed,
—“I cou’d rove
At morn, at noon, at eve, by lunar ray,
In each returning season, through your shade,
Ye reverend woods; cou’d visit ev’ry dell,
Each hill, each breezy lawn, each wand’ring brook,
And bid the world admire; each magic spot again
Cou’d seek, and tell again of all its charms.”
Towards the North, the mazy course of the Teme.—Oakley Park, the elegant
seat of the Dowager Lady Clive.—The Clee Hills.—The celebrated Caer
Caradoc, with the other eminences, near Stretton, terminating the view,
present a most fascinating landscape. Towards the West, a combination of
rock, wood, and water, gratifies the warmest wish of fancy.
The Whitecliffe, opposite to the castle, and Hackluyt’s Close, near the
Leominster road, are the two other most favourite walks; but that round
the castle is resorted to, as the most fashionable promenade.
The town of Ludlow has been calculated to contain seven hundred and two
houses, and nearly three thousand five hundred and sixty-five persons.
{166} The public buildings are, the Market-house, the Guildhall, the
Prison, called Goalford’s Tower, and the Cross: the rooms over the
latter, are dedicated for the instruction of thirty poor boys, and
fifteen poor girls; and the former, at a proper age, are apprenticed out.
The town enjoys no particular manufactory, but its chief trade consists
in the article of gloves.
The castle, the palace of the Prince of Wales, in right of his
principality, is now entirely in ruins, except Mortimer’s tower, which
was repaired by Sir Henry Sidney, during his presidency: it is now
inhabited by an old servant of Lord Powis’s, a very civil and intelligent
man, who related, with the utmost concern, the sad vicissitudes this
castle had experienced; he insisted on our entering the tower of his
habitation, and ascending the crumbling stairs, for a full display of the
various beauties in the vicinity of Ludlow, he expatiated much on a
valuable diamond ring, which he had discovered _himself_, when attempting
to drain a cellar; the inscription of Hebrew characters, round the gold,
within the ring, was interpreted by the _larned_, “A good heart;” this,
and several coins of silver and gold, which were found at the same time,
are now in the possession of Lord Powis: near the same spot, a number of
skeletons were likewise dug up. He next conducted us to a small room in
this tower, to observe an old stone placed over the fire-place, with a
cross; the letters W. S. and the date 1575, engraven on it.
Over the South-east gateway, leading into the interior of the castle, are
the arms of Elizabeth, Queen of England, and beneath, those of the Sydney
family, with the following inscription:
HOMINIBUS INGRATIS LOQUIMINI
LAPIDES—ANN, REGNI REGINÆ
ELIZABETHAE 23.—THE 28 YEAR
COPLET OF THE RESIDENCE
OF SYR HENRY SYDNEY KNIGHT
OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE
GARTER, 1581.
This castle, founded by Roger de Montgomery, on a rock, in the North-east
angle of the town, supposed to be in the year 1112, was considerably
enlarged by Sir Henry Sydney. Its ancient British name, _Dinan Llys
Tywysog_, signifies the _Prince’s Palace_. The vicissitudes of war have
frequently been exemplified in this castle; it has had its Lords and its
Princes; it has been plundered, captured, dismantled, and repaired, in
those periods of civil warfare, which this unfortunate country, in former
times, continually experienced. Philips, in “ The History and
Antiquities of Shrewsbury,” during those melancholy troubles, gives some
account of this castle. Some historians affirm, that Edward V. and his
brother, were born in Ludlow Castle; but others, not crediting this
assertion, attribute their birth to Wigmore: certain, however, it is,
that during their minority, they here held their court, under the tuition
of Lord Anthony Woodville, and Lord Scales, till they were removed to
London, and soon after smothered in the Tower, by the command of their
cruel and ambitious uncle, the Duke of Gloucester. Here, likewise,
Prince Arthur, the eldest son of Henry VII. celebrated his marriage with
the virtuous Catharine of Arragon; and in 1502, he here paid the debt of
nature, and was buried in the cathedral church of Worcester.
The account of the representation, at Ludlow, of Milton’s celebrated Mask
of Comus, is thus mentioned in the Life of that poet, prefixed to
Newton’s edition: “It was in the year 1634, that his Mask was presented
at Ludlow Castle. There was formerly a president of Wales, and a sort of
a court kept at Ludlow, which has since been abolished; and the
president, at that time, was the Earl of Bridgwater, before whom Milton’s
Mask was presented, on Michaelmas night; and the principal parts, those
of the Two Brothers, were performed by his Lordship’s sons, the Lord
Brackly, and Mr. Thomas Egerton; and that of the Lady, by his Lordship’s
daughter, the Lady Alice Egerton.”
In the first year of William and Mary, the presidency was dissolved by
act of parliament, “being a great grievance to the subject, and a means
to introduce an arbitrary power, especially in the late reign, when a new
convert family were at the head of it.”
The church next demanded our attention, the only one belonging to this
town. The time of the foundation of this ancient and elegant structure
cannot now be strictly ascertained: it is situated on an eminence, in the
centre of the town. The square tower is lofty, and of very light
architecture, but the upper part suffered much, by the all-destroying
hand of Oliver Cromwell. The highly-finished statues round the
battlements, are much mutilated, and many entirely destroyed. On
entering the church, six light Gothic fluted arches on each side, with
four similar ones of larger dimensions, supporting the tower, are
strikingly grand. Under the organ-loft, we passed into the chancel, now
only made use of, for the administration of the sacrament. This is a
most elegant building, with thirteen stalls on each side, similar, in
stile, to the generality of cathedrals; the seats of the stalls, all of
which turn back, exhibit specimens of curious workmanship, with strange
devices, and ridiculous conceits. Some of the glass painted windows are
still in good preservation; the large one, over the altar-piece,
represents the History of St. Lawrence, to whom this church is dedicated,
in fifty-four compartments. The other windows of the chancel are much
mutilated, collected from different parts of the church, and several
panes broken, by the unmeaning idleness of boys;—regardless of these
valuable relicks of antiquity.—In the side of the wall, near the altar,
are two stone stalls, with a piscina opposite.
In this chancel is a handsome monument, erected to the memory of Robert
Townsend, and his wife, with several figures of their sons and daughters
carved round the bottom: over them are the arms of their family and
connexions: it bears the date of 1581.
A modern monument to Theophilus Solway, Esq.
An ancient one to Ambrosia Sydney, who died at Ludlow Castle. This lady
was daughter to Sir Henry Sidney, who attained the important situation of
the Presidency of Wales, in the year 1564. He died at Bewdley, 1584, and
left this singular injunction to his executors: “that his heart should be
buried at Shrewsbury, his bowels at Bewdley, and his body at Ludlow, in
the tomb of his favourite daughter Ambrosia:” this order was punctually
executed; and the leaden urn, containing his heart, was six inches deep,
and five inches in diameter at the top, with this inscription carved
three times round it:
HER LITH THE HARTE OF SYR HENRYE SYDNEY L. P. _Anno Domini_, 1586.
For an engraving of this urn, taken from a drawing of Mr. S. Nicholas,
see the Gentleman’s Magazine for September, 1794.
Another monument {172a} to Edward Wetson, and his wife, kneeling opposite
to each other.
In a small chapel, to the left of the chancel, are three very handsome
painted glass-windows, containing the history of the Apostles, in
eighteen compartments; there is also a rosary.
In this chapel is an elegant marble tomb, to Sir Thomas Bridgeman,
serjeant at law. In this church is likewise buried Sir John Bridgeman,
the last president but one of Ludlow Castle. He was extremely rigid in
his office: and one Ralph Gittins, who had probably experienced his
severity, composed the following epitaph on him:
“Here lies Sir John Bridgeman, clad in his clay;
God said to the Devil, sirrah, take him away.” {172b}
A chapel corresponding on the opposite side, contains the royal arms of
Charles, and several old iron armoury.
Should the tourist find time to make any stay at Ludlow, several
excursions in the neighbourhood, will prove highly gratifying. Oakley
Park, the elegant seat of the Dowager Lady Clive, claims the greatest
attention; it is situated about two miles from Ludlow, on the banks of
the Teme river; just beyond this, is a seat of — Walpole, Esq. About
five miles is Downton Castle; the noble mansion, and fine walks of
Richard Payne Knight, Esq. one of the representatives in Parliament for
the borough of Ludlow. Being necessitated to leave this charming country
by a particular day, we had no opportunity of visiting these celebrated,
and much admired seats.
With regret we left the fascinating situation of Ludlow, and crossing
Lawford’s Bridge, we ascended an eminence, along a fine beautiful
terrace, commanding a most charming, and pleasant country to our left,
with the fertile county of Hereford, abundant with orchards, which were
all bending with the produce of the year. About two miles from Ludlow on
the right, we paused to admire the delightful seat of Theophilus Richard
Solway, Esq. situated on an eminence, and skirted by a rich plantation of
wood, towards the West: it is called the Lodge. Descending into a
bottom, a rich country, studded with farm-houses, soon brought us to the
town of