Address

Castle Square
Ludlow
Ludlow
SY8 1AY

Contact

Tel : +44 01584 873355

Family
£13.50 - £17.50


Child
£2.50 - £3.00


Concession
£4.50 - £6.00


adult
£5.00 - £6.50

Early in the 14th Century it was enlarged into a magnificent palace for Roger Mortimer, then the most powerful man in England. Later, in the 15th Century under the ownership of Richard, Duke of York, the Castle was involved in the Wars of the Roses before becoming a royal palace. In 1472 Edward IV sent the Prince of Wales and his brother (later the 'Princes in the Tower' of Shakespeare fame), to live at the Castle, which was also the seat of Government for Wales and the border Counties.



In 1501 Price Arthur, (son of Henry VII and brother to Henry VIII) with his bride Catherine of Aragon, lived here for a short time before his early death. Queen Mary Tudor and her court spent three winters at Ludlow between 1525 and 1528. In 1689 the Royal Welsh Fusiliers were founded at the Castle by Lord Herbert of Chirbury but soon after it was abandoned and fell into decay. In 1811 the ruins were purchased from the crown by the 2nd Earl of Powis, in the ownership of whose family it remains.



The Castle's long history is reflected in its varied architecture; Norman, Medieval and Tudor, many of the buildings still stand. From the huge Outer Bailey a bridge across the moat leads to the Inner Bailey with the Keep, the Great Chamber, the other side of the moat is the Ice House - once used to store explosives. Milton's famous Comus was first performed in the Great Hall in 1634 and the tradition of a performance is continued each June and July when a play is performed in the open air within the Inner Bailey, as part of the Ludlow Festival. The Castle hosts other events through-out the year.



OPENING TIMES



INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS

Please telephone the Castle before starting your journey to check that the venue is open - we assess the situation daily in these circumstances.



Telephone: 01584 874465 (weekdays) - 01584 873355 (weekends)



April to July: 10am to 5pm (7 days a week)



CASTLE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC

Wed 27 June from 12 noon

Sat 30 June from 12 noon

Wed 4 July from 12 noon

Sun 8 & Mon 9 July - All day



OPEN

August: 10am to 7pm (7 days a week)

September: 10am to 5pm (7 days a week)



CASTLE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC

Mon 3, Tues 4, Wed 5, Thurs 6 & Mon 10 & Tues 11 September - All day



OPEN

October & November: 10am to 4pm (7 days a week)



CASTLE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC

Wed 21, Thurs 22, Fri 23 & Mon 26, Tues 27 & Wed 28 November - All day



OPEN

December: 10am to 4pm (WEEKENDS ONLY)



The Castle is open DAILY from 10am to 4pm from December 26 to 1 January inclusive



CLOSED - Christmas Day



LAST ADMISSION - Half an hour before closing



INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS

Please telephone the Castle before starting your journey to check that the venue is open - we assess the situation daily in these circumstances.

Telephone: 01584 874465 (weekdays) - 01584 873355 (weekends)

Directions

By Road

From the junction of the A5/A49 (S) Shrewsbury, take the A49 south to Ludlow. Follow signs for Ludlow Town centre. On Corve Street turn right down King Street and follow the road to the castle.

By Public Transport

From Ludlow station it is 10 minutes' walk to Ludlow Castle (ruin).