North. 13 houses, 93 inhabitants. Lowe, 1 mile north-west, -Ditches, 1 mile north-west by west of Wem. LOWER DOWN. A township in the hundred of Purslow. LOWER HAYTON. A township in the parish of Staunton Lacy, and in the lower division of the hundred of Munslow. LOWER PARK. A township in the parish of Diddlebury, and in the lower division of the hundred of Munslow. miles north of Ludlow. LOWER RIDGE. See Ridges. 4 LUDFORD. A parish partly in the hundred of Munslow, and partly in the county of Hereford. The Shropshire part contains 39 houses, 195 inhabitants. The entire parish contains 280 inhabitants. mile south-east of Ludlow. LUDFORD HOUSE. mile south-east of Ludlow, in the hundred of Munslow, the seat of N. L. Charlton, Esq. See appendix. . LUDLOW. A market and borough town near the southern extremity of Shropshire. LAT. 52. 24 N. LONG. 2. 49. w. Market on Monday, Fairs on Monday before old Candlemas Day, Tuesday before Easter, Wednesday in Whitsun-week, August 21, September 28, and December 6. Broad Street and Castle Wards contain 443 houses, 2,208 inhab. 160 403 1,006 740 1,272 4,820 Ludlow is situated on a hill, with a declivity on every side; it has an elegant and cheerful appearance, and is surrounded by a country full of delightful prospects, in every direction. It was formerly inclosed by a strong wall, which was about a mile in circumference, including the castle, which, as Leland says, hemmed in part of the town, and is the most prominent object of attention. This edifice rises from the extremity of a headland, and its foundations are laid in a bare, grey rock. The part towards the north, consists of square towers, with high connecting walls, embattled with deep interstices. The old fosse, or ditch, and part of the rock have been converted into promenades, which the late Countess of Powis planted with beeches, elms, and lime trees. These, having now arrived at maturity, G G dispense a soothing and grateful shade, and add not a little to the beauty and solemn grandeur of the scene. Parallel with the castle, on the western side, runs a naked and precipitate ridge, beautifully crowned with wood. Below is a chasm through which the broad shallow Teme pours its waters. The principal entrance is by a gate-way under a low pointed arch. On the right hand are the ruins of the barracks, which when the castle was the residence of the lords presidents of Wales, were in constant use. Beyond these is a square tower, the embattled rampart of which, pierced with loops, remains in picturesque masses. On the left, a range of stone buildings presents itself, which is supposed to have been the stables. The arms of Queen Elizabeth, and those of the earl of Pembroke, who, on the death of his relation, Sir Henry Sidney, succeeded to the presidency, appear on these stables. Not far removed from them are the ruins of the Court-house, beyond which rises a lofty tower, called Mortimer's tower. This tower has been denominated semilunar; but it forms rather a half oval than a semisphere. The lowest apartment appears to have been a prison, of which the original entrance was through a circular aperture, in the ponderous key-stone of its vaulted roof. The castle is guarded on the north and west by a deep fosse cut in the rock, and the place of the ancient draw-bridge is supplied by a stone-bridge, with two arches. On this bridge are some remains of an embattled parapet. The portal is a modern erection, having been built during the presidency of Sir Henry Sidney, and remarkable neither for strength nor beauty. The arch and the adjacent building have a mean appearance. Over the portal, below the arms of England and France, is the following inscription: ANNO DOMINI MILLESIMO QUINGENTESIMO OCTAGESIMO COMPLETO, ANNO REGNI ILLUSTRISSIMÆ AC SERENISSIME REGINE ELIZIBETHE VICESIMO TERTIO CURRENTE, 1581. In a compartment below, with the armorial bearings of Queen Elizabeth, and Sir Henry Sidney, is this inscription: |