261km (162 miles) NW of London; 47km (29 miles) S of Shrewsbury
An outpost on the Welsh border during Norman times, this mellow town on the tranquil Teme River is often referred to as "the perfect historic town." Indeed, a tremendous amount of history whispers through its quiet lanes and courts, all lined with Georgian and Jacobean timbered buildings. The two little princes who died in the Tower of London lived here, and it was once the refuge of Henry VIII's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. You can still visit the church where the unhappy queen prayed. The town's most colorful street is the Broad, which rises from the old Ludford Bridge to Broadgate, the last remains of a wall erected in the Middle Ages. Be sure to visit the Buttercross on Broad Street, a private house and the most picturesque old home in Ludlow, having been designed in 1743 by William Baker. Also worth checking out is A. E. Housman's grave in the town cemetery.
