shropshire holiday accommodation
The Marches
shropshire holiday accommodation


Shropshire holiday accommodation, Ludlow town, the marches, Ludlow castle, the rout of Ludford bridge, Ludlow, the marches of Wales, England, castle, border counties, holiday cottages, shropshire holiday accommodation


You may find the text below interesting to read if you are planning to stay in our holiday cottages.




Love and war resulted in Ludlow becoming the capital of the Marches of Wales. March simply meant a tract of land between two countries, so the Marches of Wales was the tract of land between England and Wales and as such Ludlow was simply a town in the Marches. That was of course until the Mortimers arrived. The powerful and ambitious Roger Mortimer of Wigmore obtained the castle and lordship of Ludlow through marriage, he then made a bid to attain the throne of England. Whilst in France Mortimer proceeded to have a love affair with Queen Isabella who had deserted her husband, together they planned the invasion of England and the abdication of it's king Edward the Second, Mortimer was later executed as his reward. The Mortimers then for more than a century plotted and fought for the throne of England. The campaign was taken up by Richard Plantagenet Duke of York who claimed the throne through his mother Anne Mortimer heiress of Ludlow castle. It was thus that Ludlow became involved in the Wars of the Roses. Locally this led to the Rout of Ludford Bridge (Ludlow's Richard Plantagenet Duke of York lost, King Henry the Sixth won). Richard Plantagenet was then killed in a battle at Wakefield. Then the Battle of Mortimer's Cross, a few miles southwest of Ludlow, on 3rd February 1461 was fought and won by Richard's son Edward Plantagenet. Edward then marched on London and claimed the throne to become King Edward the Forth to add to his title Lord of Ludlow from his Grand mother Anne Mortimer. He rewarded loyal Ludlow Town with its charter of incorporation as a borough confirming many ancient Privileges. Ludlow castle now being the personal possession of the royal family became a palace of the king so that princes and princesses were sent there to live, or die. Edward the Forth established Ludlow as a Princes Council which became The Council in The Marches of Wales from which the whole of Wales and five border counties were ruled. People came to Ludlow on council business from all parts of England and Wales which brought much trade and prosperity. This was abolished in 1689 following the decision to centralise power in London. Ludlow to day is simply a town in the Marches again.