Book Description:
Ludlow has been described as 'the perfect historic town'. Its first written accounts are monastic chronicles and the remarkable Fitzwarine Romance, a tale of knightly chivalry, much of which is set in Ludlow Castle. John Leland and Daniel Defoe are the best known of many topographers and diarists who have visited the town, and the book includes extracts from the works of John Milton and A.E. Housman among others. Yet lesser known authors are often just as informative, such as the traveller of 1805 who found 'two lofty Maypoles' in Holdgate Fee, or the 'old inhabitant' of 1903 who remembered the celebrations after Waterloo. The book's many exciting illustrations reveal facets of Ludlow life not covered by written accounts. The wood carving and stained glass of the parish church give insights into medieval costume and domestic life. Until the mid 19th century artists concentrated on the castle, the church and the more fashionable streets, and the book contains works by Turner and Scott, in addition to those by local residents like William Gwynn. From the 1850s the camera recorded previously neglected parts of the town and, in this medium, the work of renowned photographers like Francis Bedford is shown alongside that of local practitioners. Engagingly written, and superbly illustrated, this book will appeal to all those who know Ludlow, and the wide range of fascinating and illuminating sources included will be of interest to all local historians, especially those concerned with the development and conservation of historic towns.
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