Editing Ludlow (section)

===Marcher town===
[[File:Feathers hotel.jpg|thumb|left|upright|The [[Feathers Hotel, Ludlow|Feathers Hotel]], one of Ludlow's more famous timber-framed buildings.]]
The town prospered, with a population of about 1,725 by 1377,<ref name=medievalpop>Lloyd, David (2008) ''The Origins of Ludlow'' p 2</ref> and sustained a population of about 2,000 for several centuries thereafter. It was a market town; market day was held on every Thursday throughout the 15th century. In particular, it served as a centre for the sale of [[wool]] and cloth.<ref name=medievalpop/> It was home to various trades, and in 1372 boasted 12 [[Guilds|trade guilds]] including [[metalworker]]s, [[shoemaker]]s, butchers, [[draper]]s, [[mercery|mercer]]s, tailors, [[cook (profession)|cook]]s, bakers and probably the most notable in the town, the Palmer's Guild.<ref>[http://www.stlaurences.org.uk/history/the-palmers-guild-a-brief-history St Laurence's Ludlow] The Palmer's Guild</ref>

In the mid sixteenth century the London merchant [[Rowland Hill (MP)|Sir Rowland Hill]] gave the money for a new bridge over the Teme, and the annual St. Catherine's fair.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ludlow {{!}} History of Parliament Online |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/constituencies/ludlow |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=www.historyofparliamentonline.org}}</ref>

There were [[merchant]]s of moderate wealth in the town and especially wool merchants, such as Laurence of Ludlow, who lived at nearby [[Stokesay Castle]]. The collection and sale of wool and the manufacture of cloth continued to be the primary source of wealth until the 17th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hosyers.co.uk/our-history/john-hosyer-draper|title=Our history|publisher=John Hosyer|access-date=30 October 2021}}</ref>

This prosperity is expressed in stone masonry, wood carvings and [[stained-glass]] at [[St Laurence Church, Ludlow|St. Laurence]]'s [[parish church]]; effectively a [[wool church]], it is the largest in [[Shropshire]] and a member of the [[Greater Churches Group]]. Despite the presence of some [[Decorated Period|Decorated]] work it is largely [[Perpendicular Period|Perpendicular]] in style.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.stlaurences.org.uk/ |title= St. Laurence's Church |access-date=10 November 2007}}</ref> Its size and grandeur has given it the nickname "the [[cathedral]] of the Marches", and from 1981 to 2020 there was a [[suffragan bishop|suffragan]] [[Bishop of Ludlow]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Crockford's Clerical Directory |edition=100th |location=London |publisher=Church House Publishing |year=2007 |page=947 |isbn=978-0-7151-1030-0}}</ref>

During the [[Wars of the Roses]], the castle—which he held through his Mortimer inheritance—was one of [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York|Richard, Duke of York]]'s main strongholds.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ward |first=Matthew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uiYbDQAAQBAJ&dq=richard+of+york+ludlow+mortimer+inheritance&pg=PA104 |title=The Livery Collar in Late Medieval England and Wales: Politics, Identity and Affinity |date=2016 |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |isbn=978-1-78327-115-3 |pages=104 |language=en}}</ref> The [[House of Lancaster|Lancastrian]] forces captured Ludlow in 1459, at the [[Rout of Ludford Bridge]], but the [[House of York|Yorkists]] won control of England in 1461. The castle became property of the Crown, passing to Richard's son, [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]]. The town rose in prominence under Edward's reign and was incorporated as a [[Ancient borough|borough]], and began sending [[Ludlow (UK Parliament constituency)|representatives to Parliament]]. Edward set up the [[Council of Wales and the Marches]] in 1472, headquartering it at Ludlow, and sent his son [[Edward V of England|Edward, Prince of Wales]], to live there, as nominal (being only a young boy) head of the council. It was at Ludlow that the young prince heard the news of his father's death in 1483 and was himself proclaimed King Edward V of England.<ref>{{cite book|last=Faraday |first=Michael|chapter=The Council in the Marches of Wales|title=Ludlow Castle: Its History & Buildings|publisher=Logaston Press |location=Logaston, UK|year=2000|editor-last1=Shoesmith|editor-first1=Ron|editor-last2=Johnson|editor-first2=Andy|isbn=1-873827-51-2|pages=69}}</ref> It was from Ludlow that Edward V was brought back to London with his young brother, both to be confined in the Tower of London when, after a short period of time, they were never seen again.

[[File:St. Laurence, Ludlow, from west.jpg|thumb|right|The [[St Laurence Church, Ludlow|Church of St Laurence]] has Norman origins and expanded throughout the Middle Ages, being a [[wool church]], becoming the largest parish church in Shropshire.]]
Under [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]] the castle continued as the headquarters of the Council of Wales and served as the administration centre for [[Wales]] and the counties along the border, known as the [[Welsh Marches]]. During this period, when the town served as the effective capital of Wales, it was home to many messengers of the king, various clerks and lawyers for settling legal disputes. The town also provided a winter home for local [[gentry]], during which time they attended the council court sessions. Henry VII sent his heir [[Arthur, Prince of Wales|Prince Arthur]] to Ludlow, where he was joined briefly by his wife [[Catherine of Aragon]] later to become wife to Henry VIII. Ludlow Castle was therefore the site of perhaps the most controversial honeymoon in English history, when Catherine's claim that the marriage was never consummated became central to the dispute concerning Henry VIII and Catherine's annulment in 1531.<ref>{{cite book |last = Lehman |first=H. Eugene |title=Lives of England's Reigning and Consort Queens |year=2011 |publisher=AuthorHouse Publishing |isbn = 978-1-4634-3057-3 |page=285}}</ref>

Eventually, the council resumed and except for brief interludes, Ludlow continued to host the council until 1689, when it was abolished by [[William III of England|William III]] and [[Mary II of England|Mary II]] as part of the [[Glorious Revolution]]. The castle then fell into decay. The structure was poorly maintained and the stone was [[pillage]]d. In 1772 demolition was mooted, but it was instead decided to lease the buildings. Later still it was purchased by the [[Earl of Powis]], and together, he and his wife directed the transformation of the castle grounds.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hughes |first=Pat|chapter=The Castle in Decline|title=Ludlow Castle: Its History & Buildings|publisher=Logaston Press|location=Logaston, UK|year=2000|editor-last1=Shoesmith|editor-first1=Ron|editor-last2=Johnson|editor-first2=Andy |isbn=1-873827-51-2|page=91}}</ref>

The [[Royal Welch Fusiliers]] were formed by [[Henry Herbert, 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury]] at Ludlow in March 1689 to oppose [[James II of England|James II]] and to take part in the imminent war with France.<ref name=nam>{{cite web|url=http://www.nam.ac.uk/research/famous-units/royal-welch-fusiliers|title=Royal Welch Fusiliers|publisher=National Army Museum|access-date=24 May 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225230345/http://www.nam.ac.uk/research/famous-units/royal-welch-fusiliers|archive-date=25 February 2014}}</ref> The regiment continued to have ties with the town of Ludlow, and its successor battalion in The [[Royal Welsh]] regiment was granted the freedom of the town in 2014.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-29285314 BBC News] Royal Welsh soldiers in Ludlow for 325th anniversary (20 September 2014)</ref>