Ludlow_3




Page 3.

Ludlow has always been a prosperous town.Over the centuries many planned medieval towns withered away to become no more than agricultural villages, but in spite of some periods of relative stagnation, Ludlow has continued to thrive as a centre of trade and small scale industry and as a town resort.
It's prosperity is reflected in the fine houses and public buildings of all periods. Many of the handsome frontages of houses in Ludlow are facades which have been applied to much earlier buildings.
Ludlow demonstrates how an increasing population could be accommodated in a planned town without enlarging its built-up area by the erection of cottages in the yards of its burgage plots.


Broad Street Broad Street 1965

Broad Street
This view up Broad Street shows Sweetman's shop, on a narrow site seen immediately east of the Butter Cross. In earlier times there was a house here for the parish saxton.

Broad Street
Broad Street is a wonderful mixture of varying architectural style. This is the same street looking downhill. It was viewing Broad Street that led Nikolaus Pevsner in his book on Shropshire to describe the street as 'one of the most memorable street in England'.
Lower Broad Street 1892 The Broad Gates

Lower Broad Street
The Bell Inn with it's good stabling is obviously for visitors to the town
(those who cannot afford to stay at the Feathers or the Angel), while the Wheatsheaf probably serves an even poorer local clientele. The carriage sitting on the left is made of wicker-work.

The Broad Gates
Originally the town wall would have been surrounded by a ditch, which the Wheatsheaf on the right now straddles. the house on the left of the gate was added in mid 18th century, although the windows are slightly later.

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