Ludlow Town and Neighbourhood. A series of sketches of its scenery, antiquities, geology ... With an etching and illustrations, etc

Preface

. The impetus given in recent years to the strong and healthy interest which the English public has always shown in the beautiful or interesting localities of their own land has led to a desire for fuller and better information concerning them than is often available in local Guides. The aim of this work is to present in a popular and readable shape an accurate account of the Ludlow district, and of the objects of historical interest with which it abounds. In entrusting it to Mr. Oliver Baker, I felt that his artistic and archæological qualifications, and his intimate acquaintance with the locality, well fitted him for the task of dealing with a neighbourhood whose claim to attention rests so completely on its scenery and antiquities. The Pictorial Illustrations form an important feature, Mr. Baker having made sixty-seven special sketches for them, which have been reproduced in facsimile by the eminent process-engravers, the Typographic Etching Com pany of London, in addition to the Etching from his needle specially executed for this work.

If it reveals "the rich mine of good things" that "Ludlow and its Neighbourhood" is "to the Antiquary, Artist, Amateur Photographer, Naturalist, Geologist, Lover of Nature, and the jaded man of business," in far wider Publisher's Preface. VI circles than hitherto, my ambition and aim in publishing this volume describing in " black-and-white " one of the most interesting and picturesque towns and localities in England, will find ample reward. To the Subscribers, who by their response have en couraged and enabled me to produce this edition in the best style of typography, I tender my sincere thanks. Remaining, Their obliged and obedient servant, G. WOOLLEY. 2, Bull Ring, Ludlow, fuly, iSSS.

PREFACE.

. SOME few years ago, whilst making additions to Wright's "Ludlow Guide" for Mr. Woolley, I undertook at his request to write and illustrate a more ambitious work, which has eventually taken the shape of the present volume. Its general plan was adopted, for the sake of brevity and to avoid the tedious repetitions to which topographical books are so liable. The purely historical portion has been only slightly treated, for several reasons. The documents which would have been essential to a serious historical treatise are bulky and numerous ; it would have been easy to fill the book, or a much larger one, with deeds, charters, and churchwardens' accounts ; but apart from the difficulties as to space, they would have been to some extent out of place in a popular work. Many of these have been already published, and I have met people who collected them — but never anyone who read them.

There was not much room, therefore, for original re search in the historical branch of the subject, except where it was possible, by the examination of existing build ings, to throw light on their past, as for instance in the case of Bromfield Priory, in which important events at and sub sequent to the Reformation are traced from the existing remains, apparently for the first time. This was a field which had remained comparatively untouched. I regret Preface. VIII that in the case of the Guild College, I discovered the most interesting remains too late to insert more than a very slight notice of them. The large fourteenth-century window at the back of Church Street (which has low transoms and wooden shutters, showing it to be domestic work) would have been worth describing in detail. In conclusion, I have to ask the indulgence of those who may think the point of view I have taken — that of the sketcher and the archæologist — an unpractical one.

It is not so in reality. The fact is, that stronger language than mine might be used in condemnation of the heedless vandalism which in some cases is robbing us of our lawful heritage. This is sometimes done by people who have no excuse for not knowing better, under the plea of " restoration," which often amounts to actual rebuilding. I have to acknowledge kind and valuable help from many friends who showed an interest in the work I under took ; and especially to Miss E. Smith of Ludsord, Mr. Edwin Smith, and the late R. K. Penson, Esq., my thanks are due ; also to the Rev. J. D. La Touche for looking over the geological chapter. O. B. Edgbaston, 1888. I'AGE 4 18 CONTENTS.

Chapter II. The Castle

: ITS EXTERIOR AND HISTORY. First Aspect — Outer Walls — Sally-port — Beacon Tower — External Walks — Gateway — Its Origin — Leland's Account of the Fitzwarine Romance — Its Castellans — The Barons' War — Its Occupation by the Mortimers — By Richard Plantagenet — Sacked by the Lancastrians — Restored by Edward IV. — Prince Arthur — Court of Marches — The Lords President — Comus — " Hudibras " — Parliamentary Siege— Decay

Chapter III. Interior Ok The Castle

The Outer Ward — Barracks — Mortimer's Tower — Bridge and Inner Gate — The Inner Ward — Norman Keep — Other Norman Work — Round Chapel — Prince Arthur's Room — Great Hall — State Apartments

Chapter IV. The Tarish Church

Its Situation — South Side — First Impression — Scene from Churchyard — Its History— Interior — Octagonal Porch — Nave — Arcades — Aisles — Rood Loft — Collegiate Stalls — Miserere Carvings — The Lady-Chapel — Its Screen — The Font — St. John's Chapel — Its Screen and Fittings — Ancient Glass — The Chancel — Vestry — Sedilia — Reredos — Treasure Chamber — Monuments ....... 27 b Contents. X chapter v. THE TOWN. PAGE Remains of the Monasteries — The College — The Grammar School — Barnaby House — Dinham Chapel — The Town Wall — Broad Gate — Gaol — Butter Cross — Corporation Maces — Civic Buildings— Domestic Architecture — Almshouses — The Museum. 57

Chapter VI. Ludford

Ludsord Bridge— Village — Church— Monuments to the Foxes and Charltons — Ludsord House — St. Giles's Almshouse — Whitcliff. . . 75

Chapter VIII

walk TO Richard's castlf. Huck's Barn — Overton — Sunny Gutter — Moor Park — Playe Woods — Batchcott — The Castle Mound and Ruins — Clark's Account — Church — Boney Well — Court House and Dove-cote . . . . S9

Chapter XII. Drive Through Wigmore, Leintwardine, Downtcn, Etc

Whitcliff Woods — Mary Rnowl — Comus Valley (Sunny Gutter) — Pipe Aston — Elton — Leinthall Starkes — Wigmore — Church — Castle — The Mortimers — Abbey — Leintwardine — Downton-on-the-Rock — Limestone Gorge — Downton Castle — Clungunford . . . .114

Chapter XIII. Drive Through Wigmore To Aymestrey, Kingsland, Etc

Wigmore Hall — Deersold Forest — Leinthall Earles — Croft Ambrey — Gatley Park — Aymestrey — Mortimer's Cross — Shobdon Court — rriory — Village — Kingsland — Eyton — Yarpole — Lucton — Croft Castle— Church — Bircher ........ 130

Chapter XIV. Drive Through Stoke St

MILBOROUGII TO BROWN CLEE, TITTERSTONE, ETC. Rock Green — Dodmore — Middleton — Crow Leasowe — Ascent of Titterstone — The Moor — Stoke St. Milborough — Cold Weston — Brown Clee — Bouldon — Heath Chapel — Peaton — Corfham Castle— Sutton.

Chapter XV. Drive Through Corve Dale

Corve Bridge — Site of Norman Chapel — Tumuli on Oldfield — Stanton Lacy — Saxon Work — Churchyard — Tombs— Village— Manor-house — The Lacys— Culmington— Elsich— Delbury — Holgate, &c— Munslow — Upper Millichope . . . • ■ • . . . 1 53

Chapter XVI. Drive Through Ashford, Caynham, Whitton, Whitton Court

1 Ashford House— Caynham Court— Camp— Church— Whitton Court— Whitton Chapel— Hope Bagot — Bitterley— Church— Henley Hall .

Chapter XVII. Railway Excursion To Stokesay

River Onny — Onibury — Craven Arms— Newton— Stokesay Castle — Its History — Stokesay Church ., . .171 Contents. XII CHAPTER XVIH. PAGE RAILWAY EXCURSION TO TENBURY, AND WALKS TO BURFORD, ETC. Woofferton — Easton Court — Little Hereford — Nunupton — Upton Court — Middleton-on-the-Hill — Brimfield — Tenbury — Church — Tombs — St. Michael's — Burford — Tombs — Knighton-on-Teme . . . 183

Chapter XIX. Geology Of The Neighbourhood Illustrations

PAGE Frontispiece — Etching : The Norman Keep and Sydney Buildings, from the Outer Gateway. Map of Environs of Ludlow To face page xvi Doorway to Norman Chapel, Ludlow Castle I The Butter Cross, from a side street, Ludlow 2 Ancient Corporate Seal, Ludlow ........ 3 Ludlow Castle, from the North 4 Castle, from the River above Ludlow ....... 7 The Bull Inn Yard, Ludlow 17 The Keep and Inner Moat, Ludlow Castle. (By the late Harry Baker) . 19 Gateway to Inner. Ward, Ludlow Castle 20 Doorway to Keep, Ludlow Castle 22 Ground Plan of Ludlow Castle 23 Ludlow Castle, from the Meadows 25 Parish Church and Old House in Churchyard 2S Doorway to Old House in Churchyard 30 Rood Screen and Stalls, Ludlow Church . . .... Miserere Carving, Ludlow Church ....... Screen of the Lady-Chapel, and South Transept, Ludlow Church . . 44 Sedilia and Piscina, Ludlow Church 47 Easter Sepulchre and Towneshend Tomb, Ludlow Church . . -51 Plan of the Town, showing the Old Wall ...... 56 The Grammar School, from Mill Street, Ludlow 62 The Broad Gate, Ludlow . . . . . . . , . 6" Ludlow " Corporation Insignia " 6S The Feathers Hotel, Ludlow ......... 70 Arms in Lane's Hospital, Ludlow ...... .74 Illustrations.

XIV CAGE Ludsord Bridge from the foot os Whitcliff 75 Ludsord Bridge from below ......... 76 The Teme from the Whitcliff Quarries ....... 78 Porch of Oratory, Ludsord House ........ 83 The Old Bell Inn, Ludsord 85 The Teme under Whitcliff ......... 86 Norman Font, Holgate .......... 87 Richard's Castle Church ......... 92 Porch, Richard's Castle Church 94 The Court House and Dove-cote, Richard's Castle . . . -96 Druid Oaks, Oakly Park 97 Bromfield Priory from the River . . . . . . . .100 Priory Gate House, Bromfield ........ 102 Gateway, Bromfield Triory, from the Road ...... 105 Vesica Window and Norman Lights, Ashford Carbonell Church . . 107 Pulpit and Chancel Arch, Orleton ....... 109 Churchyard Cross at Orleton . . . . . . . .110 Cottage at Leinthall Starkes . . . . . . . . .111 Old Fireplace, Steventon . . 113 Norman Tympanum, Pipe Aston.

(From Wright's " History of Ludlow") 115 Wigmore, from the Park . . . . . . . . . 117 Gatehouse to Wigmore Abbey .120 The Teme at Downton . 1 26 Croft Castle 142 Dodmore . . . . • • . . . . . . 144 The Heath Chapel. (From Wright's " History of Ludlow") . . 149 Interior of the Heath Chapel. ,, ,, . . 150 Saxon Doorway at Stanton Lacy . . . . . . . .152 Tombs of the Lacys, Stanton Lacy 155 Culmington Church .......... 15S Elsich Manor House . 160 Old Sun-dial, Munslow 163 Triple Arch, Caynham Church ........ Illustrations. XV PAGE Whitton Court 167 Churchyard Cross, Bitterley ......... 169 Norman Font, Bitterley . . . . . . . .170 Stokesay Castle and Church . . . . . . . . .172 Stokesay Castle, from the Churchyard 174 Doorway of Great Hall, Stokesay ........ 176 Great Hall, Stokesay 178 Entrance Gate, Stokesay ......... 180 Heart Shrine, Tenbury 187 Tomb of Princess Elizabeth, Burford ....... 191 Perpendicular Font, Burford 193 Pentamerus Knightii . . . . . . . ' . . ENVIRON S OFJXD L( ) W DOORWAY TO NORMAN CHAPEL, LUDLOW CASTLE. Ludlow Town and Neighbourhood

Chapter I. Introductory

In a modern work on English antiquities, Ludlow is spoken of as "the Queen of our inland watering-places." Though not too strong as a term of praise, this statement is to a great extent misleading, as in the ordinary acceptation of the phrase Ludlow is not a watering-place at all. But to the dweller in crowded cities, to the jaded man of business, to the antiquary, artist, amateur photographer, naturalist, geologist, or lover of nature, it is something a great deal better. To all these the place is a rich mine of good things, but it is not a watering-place ; and for those who seek crowded hotels and brass bands its beauties are not revealed. Like most things that turn out well, it is a trifle disappointing at first — the visitor arriving bv* rail has i; Ludlow Town and Neighbourhood. 2 no preparation in the approach to the town, or in the first aspect of the place itself, for the actual wealth of beauty and interest that await him, and it is only on closer acquaintance that he will fully realise it.

TIIF. Bl'TTF.R CROSS, FROM A SIDE STREET, LUDLOW Then he will find that the town is grouped on the summit of a bold mass of limestone rock, that rises at the lower end of a flat and fertile plain. On three sides it is nearly isolated from the neighbouring hills by the rivers Teme and Corve, and on the fourth it gradually merges Introductory. 3 into a spur of the Clee range. On the side towards the plain, where the rock is precipitous, stand the church and castle crowning the summit, the one with its tall and graceful tower, and the other with roofless and crumbling turrets and ivy-covered walls, which still defy the ravages of time, and show an outline against the sky nearly as grand as when they sheltered the Court of the Prince of Wales. The ridge is fortified along its whole outline in continuation of the churchyard and castle walls, but only one gate-tower remains, and that on the sloping side.

The old town, confined within these walls, only covered the upper part of the mound, but in later times the houses have overflowed nearly to the water's edge, and on the east particularly, nearly all the recent growth of the town has extended. Though ancient enough in appearance, it is even more so in reality ; numbers of the houses which show a neat front of brick or stucco, being old within, and often possess early fireplaces, panelling, or staircases, quite unsuspected from the outside. ANCIENT CORPORATE SEAL, LUDLOW. LUDLOW CASTLE, FROM THE NORTH.

Chapter II. The Castle

: ITS EXTERIOR AND HISTORY. First Aspect — Outer Walls — Sally-port — Beacon Tower — External Walks — Gateway — Its Origin — Leland's Account of the Fitzwarine Romance — Its Castellans — The Barons' War— Its Occupation by the Mortimers — By Richard Plantagenet — Sacked by the Lancastrians — Restored by Edward IV'. — Prince Arthur — Court of Marches — The Lords President — Comus — Hudibras — Parliamentary Siege — Decay. OCCUPYING the post of honour, the Castle is the first point to which every stranger directs his steps. Pro bably the first glimpse he will get of the object of his search will be when reaching the open square, where the old red Market House stands, he sees its high outer walls and nail-studded gate among the tall elms, which, planted more than a hundred years since in the filled-up moat, now make a green wall of foliage round two sides of the first courtyard.

And though few sights are more picturesque than this same scene on market days, when the square is filled with the stalls of the country people, who converge to this spot from every direction, yet there is nothing in the first glimpse greatly to raise his hopes or to gratify any high expectations he has already formed of this celebrated ruin. The entrance arch, flanked by projecting buttresses, is grim enough, but the gate tower is too much shattered with age to be at all striking, and the walls near it are without character. But if he will turn to the right, through an iron wicket, down a wide gravel path, once part of the moat, and past a square tower without windows or even loops, he will see, behind large trees, a more considerable block of towers, with a fine chimney ; and when he reaches the trees, where the old town wall, on his right, ends, he will begin to realise the unrivalled beauty and boldness of its site.

For between their trunks a prodigious prospect opens out, stretching from the foot of the hill, across fields, and farms, and woods, for miles. Behind him, at the base of the walls, is a small out work, built out on a mass of limestone, and by clambering round it he can reach a very curious little sally-port, which the outwork was doubtless intended to cover. The door still remains, and is protected in a unique manner with slabs of stone bolted to the woodwork, and iron plates over them, which would resist an attack of fire for a long time. Below the sally-port the path turns to the left, and, emerging from the trees, brings suddenly into view one of the main blocks of towers which, lifting their massive shapes into the sky, compel our admiration and awe, defy ing as they have done the attacks of man or " the wreck ful siege of battering days " to reduce them.

From the beacon-cresset on the topmost battlements to the great drain openings at the foot, where it is difficult to dis tinguish the masonry from the solid rock, the whole of this stupendous mass is full of the most varied and interesting detail, and clothed with lichens and wallflowers and weeds on every ledge and cranny. The curtain wall beyond is pierced by the tall and graceful windows of the Great Hall, often called the Comus Room, from the performance therein of Milton's celebrated Masque. The path continues round the walls, commanding fine views over the meadows below, with the river — its current stilled by mill-weirs lower down — flowing sluggishly through them. The castle on the one hand and the view of distant country on the other con tinually arrest the attention, until the path passing through an avenue of fine trees, the one is nearly hidden and the other completely lost.

Here the path divides, one branch descending steeply to the Castle Mill in the road below, and the other going straight through the avenue. These walks were laid out, and the trees which add so greatly to their beaut)* planted in 1772 by the Countess of Powis. Of course the stern and defensive appearance of the place has thereby been reduced, but they are a great additional charm, and a source of much health and pleasure to hundreds of inhabitants and visitors. By keeping to the upper one, we emerge through enormous wych-elms into an open space level with the castle wall, where an archway has been cut through it near its junction with that defend ing the town. Passing through the arch, on the left is a large fragment of building, once the court-house. Another modern archway admits into the area of the old moat, now level with the street.

Passing under the trees, populous with colonies of rooks, the visitor will find he has com pleted the circuit of the castle, eleven acres in extent, and arrived once more at the entrance. Let him lift the latch boldly — no warder now to challenge — and enter the outer court. HISTORY. But before examining in detail the massive ruins that lie before him, it will be well to glance, in a manner necessarily brief, at the long series of brilliant events which make up their history, and to enumerate a few of the great men whose names are linked with their varying fortunes. CASTLE, FROM THE RIVER ABOVE LUDLOW. Great obscurity hangs over the castle's first foundation, and learned authorities have differed as to the identity of its original builder ; but it is almost certain that Roger de Lacy, who held the estate from Osborne Fitz Richard, erected at the end of the eleventh century the keep tower.

This Roger rebelled against William II., and later, on the death of his brother Hugh, it became the property of the Crown. Henry I. granted it to Pagan Fitz John, who was slain by the Welsh in 11 36. A romance of the first part of the thirteenth century* which gives a history of the Fitzwarine family, states that in the reign of Stephen the castle was held by one Joce de Dinan, who " made the Castle of three wardes, and surrounded it with a double foss, one within and one without." It appears that Stephen had seized the estate of Fitz John, and placed as castellan in Ludlow, Joce de Dinan. Joce vvas in rebellion in 1 1 39, and Stephen, accompanied by Prince Henry of Scotland, unsuccessfully laid siege to the castle. It was during this siege that Prince Henry, approaching too near, was seized by a grappling machine thrown from the wall, and was being dragged away when King Stephen rode up, and saved him by severing the cords with his sword.

From a thirteenth century history of Wigmore Abbey ,t by a monk of that house, we learn that " there arose at this time a very great war between Sir Hugh de Mortimer (of Wigmore) and Sir Joce de Dinan. Insomuch that this same Joce could not freely, or at his pleasure, enter or quit his castle for fear of Sir Hugh, so pertinaciously the latter pursued him. And because Joce could avail nothing against him by force, he set spies along the road where he heard Sir Hugh was to pass unattended, and took him and held him in his castle in prison till he had paid his ransom of 3,000 marks of silver, besides all his plate, horses, and hawks." In the above-mentioned romance his place of imprisonment is spoken of as " the highest tower in the * Wright's "History of Ludlow,'' 1852. f Ibid. third bailey, which is called to this day Mortimer's." Of this romance the following is Leland's account, given in his " Collectanea," under the head " Thinges cxcerptid out of an old Englisch boke yn ryme of the Gestes of Guarine & his sunnes Guarine wedded Mellet & had a sunne caulid Fulco.

Joos, a knight, was left as governor to young Fulco. Guarine & he defendid his lands agayne one Walter, the greatest of the marche lorde oute of Lacy & Ludlow. They met at a bent by Bourne, at a brydgc ende a little from Ludlow. Joos bare a sheld of sylver with thre blew lyons coronid with gold. Joos had a daughter caullid Hawise, whom Fulco entirely loved, & seying her in great dolour, askid the cause of her sorrow, & she answered that it was no matter for an hauker to amende ; & he upon that toke his sworde and spere to rescew Joos, her father, as one Godarde was about to streke of his hede ; so that Godarde was slayne of him, & Gwalter Lacy dryven away. Then Joos recovered a horse & sore woundid Syr Arnold that did hym much hurt. Then Fulco killid one Andrew, a knight longging to Syr Walter Lacy.

Gwalter Lacy & Syr Arnold were taken prisoners, & put in the Castle of Ludlow in a prison caullid Pen dower. A gentilwoman caullid Marion deliverid both these knights by treason oute of Pendower for love of Syr Arnolde de Lis, one of them that promised her falsely marriage. Fulco Guarine wedded Hawise, daughter to Joos, at Ludlow Castel. Joos & Fulco Guarine toke a journey into Ireland ; Marion tarried, saining sickness, behind, & write a lettre to her love Syr Arnold de Lis, to cum secretly to her up into the Castel with a ladder of leder & cordes. Arnold came according to Marion's desier, & had his pleasure of her ; & sone after came his band, & secretly scalinge the walls, killed the castellanes. Then Marion, seeing this treason, lept out of a tower & brake her C neck ; * & Arnold killed after many of the burgesses of Ludlow towne, sparing neither widow nor child.

Walter Lacy hearing that the castel was won, cam with his band thither, & mannid & vitailid Ludlow, keeping it as his owne. This tidings was told to Joos lying at Lamborne. Joos & Fulco, & his father Guarine, cam to rescue Ludlow, & in assaulting it killid many of Lacy's men. Lacy, with a band of men, cam oute to fight with them, but he losing many men, was fayne to recoyle within the toune. Gualter Lacy sent to the Prince of Wales for help, & he cam wynning by the way, Whitington. Fulco Guarine hurte the prince of Wales in the shoulder & drave hym to a castel caullid Cayhome, where Cay had been lorde, there asseging by three days killid many of them at a certen issue. Fulco was wounded, & yet roode to mete King Henry by Gloscestre, of whom he was wclle intertaynid as his kinnesman, & there he had his wounde that Arnold's brother gave hym in the waste welle helid.

King Henry made Fulco a knight & steward of his house, & lord & governor of thos marches." It has been made clear, however, by Mr. Eyton, the historian of Shropshire, that portions of this story are not in accord with the real history of the castle, which, after the death of Joce in 1166, was restored by Henry II. to Hugh de Lacy. The growing power in Ireland of this Hugh led Henry again to seize the castle in 1181, and he granted the estates of Hugh, after his assassination in Ireland, to Walter, his son, retaining the castle, which, however, Walter regained in 1 206, on paying 400 marks to King John. In 1207 it was again taken by John, and handed over to William de Braose. It was for a time in charge of Philip de Albini, and then of Thomas de * In Wright's translation she first kills Sir Arnold uith his own sword while he was asleep.

The Castle: its E.yterior and History. 11 Erdington. In 12 14 John ordered Ingeram de Cygoine to restore the castle to Walter de 'Lacy. In 1224 Walter gave it up to William de Gammages. It was after wards held by Peter de Geneva, who married Matilda de Lacy, one of the grand-daughters of Walter. Peter made over the constableship to William de Lacy in 1234. Peter died in 1249, and his widow married Geoffrey de Genville, who next held the castle. Peter de Gen ville, their son, held it in 1292. During the Barons' War the castle and neighbourhood vvas the scene of prolonged turmoil, in which the king, the barons, and the Welsh took a leading part, and which continued till the victory of Henry at Evesham, after which comparative tranquillity seems to have reigned, broken occasionally by the local squabbles of the Lords Marchers, among whom the Mortimers were the most prominent and powerful.

They added Ludlow to their other great possessions by the marriage of Roger to Joan de Genville, daughter and heiress of Peter. Roger Mortimer, his son, received lid ward III. in his Castles of Ludlow and Wigmore. After his attainder and execution, his son Edmund recovered this and other castles in 1354, and the estates passed out of the family on the death of this Edmund, the last Mortimer, in 1424, and into the hands of his nephew, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, who selected it as his chief place of residence, and when, thirty years later, he involved himself in intrigues for the possession of the throne, he twice found it necessary to retreat here, and raise an army among his tenantry. But on the second occasion he was defeated and taken prisoner by Henry VI. Having afterwards been appointed Protector by the House of Commons and again making war on the royal party, he had, in 1459, fortified himself at Ludsord, where he vvas joined by the arm)* of Lord Salisbury, returning victorious from Bloreheath.

He had repulsed one attack by the king's army on the 13th of October, and had planned a surprise in which they would have been almost certain of success, when he was deserted by his principal officer and the troops under him. In this position he broke up the camp and fled to Ireland. The Lancastrians thus having Ludlow at their mercy, revenged themselves for the support it had always given to the House of York by sacking it and the castle. The duke's eldest son, Edward, Earl of March, now came forward, and revived the cause of the Yorkists by his courageous and able tactics. Having defeated the king at the battle of Northampton, his father, hearing of his success, hastened to England and laid claim to the crown, but was defeated and killed at Wakefield, and his second son murdered. Edward was here, at Ludlow, when the news reached him, and immediately prepared to attack the victors ; but was recalled by the advance of an Irish and Welsh army under the Earl of Pembroke.

They fought at Mortimer's Cross, a little south of Ludlow, and Edward was again victorious. Shortly afterwards, march ing on London, he was proclaimed king, as Edward IV. in 1461. Ludlow, whose fortunes had suffered with those of the Yorkists, shared abundantly in their prosperity. From this time the castle became the palace of the Prince of Wales, the seat of the Council of the Marches, and the centre of government for the whole Border. In the first year of his reign the king granted an extended charter to the town, which greatly advanced its prosperity, in consideration of "the laudable and gratuitous services which our beloved and faithful subjects the burgesses of the town have rendered unto us in the obtaining of our right to the crown of England, for a long time past withheld from us and our ancestors, in great peril of their lives, and also the rapines, depredations, oppressions, losses of goods, and other grievances, for us and our sake, in divers ways brought upon them by certain of our competitors."